A WOLLESCOTE woman is demanding new gun laws after her beloved pet overcame the odds to survive horrific injuries.

Grace Tromans, aged 27, has begun a campaign calling for air weapons to be licensed after her cat suffered a potentially fatal wound when he was shot by heartless thugs.

Six-year-old Brown Bear, who lives with Miss Tromans in Birchgate, was found lifeless in a neighbour's garden on August 22 and, although he is now on the mend, he will live out the rest of his days with a metal pellet resting on his heart.

Miss Tromans has been told surgery to remove the pellet would cost thousands of pounds and there is no guarantee Brown Bear would survive the operation.

She said: "The emergency vet was brilliant, she couldn't believe what had happened and was nearly in tears. She said he shouldn't be alive and its amazing that he survived.

"I was so angry at what had happened to him, I know most people would never dream of doing such a thing but kids can get their hands on them, there should be a licensing scheme for air guns.

"Brown Bear has made a miraculous recovery but I'd hate for someone else to go through such a horrible experience. I think its disgusting how people can be cruel to animals, I can't imagine who would do such a thing."

Sadly Brown Bear is not the only victim of armed yobs in the area, another cat is also recovering after emergency surgery to remove an air gun pellet which passed almost entirely through her body.

Eighteen-month-old Cassie was shot on August 26 near her home on Primrose Hill, Wordsley, and only survived after a two-hour emergency operation which cost her owner, Ian Rock, £700.

Mr Rock, aged 48, said: "It was about 8.15pm, the cat came back in a lot of pain and unable to breathe, I picked her up and blood rushed out.

"The pellet had gone all the way through the cat's body and intestine, it had only just missed the kidneys and pelvis, which would have killed her.

"I have heard of four or five other cats being shot near here. I was fuming, the people who did this are scum, it is important they are caught quickly."

Only the most powerful air weapons require a licence in the UK, people aged under 14 are not permitted to use air weapons without supervision of a person aged 21 or over.

Youngsters aged 14 to 17 cannot carry an air gun in a public place unless they are supervised by someone aged over 21.

To join Grace Tromans' online campaign visit www.facebook.com/LicenceForAirguns

Anyone with information about the shootings should contact West Midlands Police by calling 101.