When Chris the ferret was abandoned in a bin bag in Maidstone between Christmas and New Year, his future looked bleak.

Despite his ordeal, the little chap quickly got a smile back on his face when staff at the Leybourne RSPCA centre took him in, after he was discovered in Brewer Street on December 28 last year.

Several months on, he has been rehomed and now has two ferret friends too.

His new owners Graham and Jo Draper decided to keep his name as he responded to it.

Mr Draper said: "It didn’t take him long to get his paws well and truly under the table and he has somehow got me into the routine of having to take him for walk on his lead every evening despite him having the run of the house.

"He lives with our two other rescue ferrets Minnie and Winter, rehomed from Harrietsham ferret rescue centre, and spends most of his waking hours ambushing them and playing chase in their plastic play tube."

He added: "Chris is full of energy and play and seems to have slipper fetish taking them off my partner Jo’s feet and disappearing with them under the sofa. We are very pleased to have such a mischievous and loveable ferret."

Chris’ story touched many KM readers. A spokesman for the RSPCA said: "Christmas abandonments tug at the heartstrings because they happen when the weather is often cold and people are off work, enjoying the festivities with friends and family."