Two 10-week-old kittens were found abandoned in a cardboard box.

A dog walker found the youngsters, named Novak and Rafael after the tennis stars, in the box that was hidden in a bush at Swanley Park.

The kittens were shaky and scared, but quickly taken to Battersea Dogs & Cats Home's Brands Hatch centre.

Watch Novak and Rafael playing happily now they are safe

It's not known how long the pair were left without food or water, but the centre says they have recovered well from the ordeal.

Now, the charity is telling people not to abandon their pets but bring them in to the centre, who will help care for them.

Rehoming and welfare manager Michelle Bevan said: “Novak and Rafael were luckily found in time and brought to safety.

"It goes without saying that leaving helpless animals outside in a cardboard box is a huge risk to their welfare.

"We understand that people often find themselves in difficult situations and are unable to look after their pets, but we want to reiterate that abandoning them is not the answer.

“Battersea’s doors are always open to anyone who has cats or kittens that they can no longer take care of, and no matter what the reasons are for bringing your animal in, our staff won’t ever judge owners.

"The right thing to do is to bring your animals in to a rescue centre to give them the best second chance in life.”

The kittens were found abandoned last month.

If you have an animal you no longer think you can care for, contact Battersea on 01474 875 112.

Escaped animals, unusual finds and news from the RSPCA can all be found here.

Read more: All the latest Dartford news