A widow has spoken of her heartbreak after four of her kittens died from suspected poisoning weeks after her husband's death.

Eastern Daily Press: Sleaford Green, which is in the north of Norwich.Sleaford Green, which is in the north of Norwich. (Image: Archant)

Julie Edwards said she watched helplessly as the animals suffered severe fits before dying one-by-one at her home in Sleaford Green, Norwich.

The 59-year-old, who is blind in one eye, said it happened over a four-week period, with the first passing away days after her husband.

She believes the kittens, which she had raised since birth, could have been poisoned accidentally.

Police are now investigating the 'unexplained deaths' and is advising people to ensure harmful substances are kept locked away.

Eastern Daily Press: Sleaford Green, in the north of the city.Sleaford Green, in the north of the city. (Image: Archant)

Mrs Edwards said: 'These last two months have been absolutely awful, to lose my husband and then to lose the cats...

'When he passed away I always said at least I have them for comfort. But when the first one died, I thought is 'someone punishing me?'.'

The mother-of-one, who works for Norfolk police, said her partner of 40 years, Mike, had always loved the animals.

But he died from a lung condition on January 20, aged 79.

Days later, Mrs Edwards said the first of her nine-month-old kittens suffered a fit as it lay next to her on the sofa.

'I thought maybe he was missing his daddy,' she said. 'But within two hours he had passed away.'

Mrs Edwards said three more of her kittens suffered similar symptoms before dying over the following three weeks,

She said her niece, who spoke to the vets, was told there was little which could be done to save the animals.

Mrs Edwards believed they may have been poisoned accidently after her son's girlfriend found a bucket of weed killer nearby.

A spokesman for Norfolk Police said enquiries were ongoing, and that an officer was speaking to vets to find out the cause of death.

'Members of the public are urged to ensure that nothing is left out which could cause harm to animals and to report any concerns they have,' a police spokesman said.

An RSPCA spokesman asked people to keep watch of their cats and seek immediate veterinary treatment should they show symptoms of poisoning

Anyone with information should contact PC 820 James Marrison on 101.