They were found early on Monday morning by a passing farm worker on land near Gunthorpe Road, Walpole Marsh. The RSPCA was called and took the kittens straight to the vet for treatment.

One of the tiny animals, thought to be around three to four weeks old, was already dead and the other nine were all suffering from severe conjunctivitis and dehydration.

RSPCA inspector Justin Stubbs said: 'These poor little kittens were freezing, I imagine they had probably been out there in that rural remote location for most of the night.

'One had already suffered a horrible death, and the others had painful, sore eyes - in many cases sealed up with the infection.

'Someone went out of their way to abandon these kittens in a field well off the beaten track.

'If this passing man had not spotted them and thought to take them to safety and call us they could have potentially suffered a slow lingering death out there. He saved their lives.'

Once the kittens, a mixture of tabby, black and two gingers, had received treatment for their eyes and rehydration they made a good recovery and started behaving like playful kittens once again.

The box is thought to have come from a smallholding or farm related environment as there was a duck egg and a bag with remnants of piglet food inside it. Anyone with any information about where it came from or how the baby animals came to be dumped in this way should contact 0300 123 8018 in confidence.

The kittens are currently recovering from their ordeal at Cats Protection's Peterborough and District Branch. They are currently being part hand-reared by fosterers and will hopefully be fully weaned in two weeks. The kittens will be ready to be rehomed in around nine weeks, once they have been socialised and have built up their strength.

To register an interest in adopting any of them call 0845 371 2750 or email cphoming@talktalk.net.