Two cats have been shot in the head just two years after another of the family's cats lost an eye when it was fired at in the same street.

The gunman has been picking off the family's pets over a two year period, almost killing three of their four cats.

Karen Holland and Tim Walker have four cats. Two have been shot in the eyes in the past week and a third lost an eye when it was shot near their home in April 2003, leaving the couple with a £1,000 vet bill.

They have asked police to investigate.

The couple, of Roundhill Crescent, Brighton, are now keeping their pets indoors but fear the gunman may take aim at dogs, other animals or even people.

Tim 48, and Karen, 46, have shared their home in Brighton with Karen's son Miguel Puerta, 17, for the past five years.

The first time the gunman struck was in April 2003 when Mabel, a black cat now five years old, suffered such horrific wounds that her eye was removed.

The gunman returned last week.

Karen discovered one of the family's four cats, Richard Alan lying at the bottom of the stairs in their home on Monday August 8.

Karen said: "He's a bit of a wanderer. He was lying in the dark and seemed to be hiding. His eye was horrible."

Tim took Richard Alan to the vet who discovered he had been shot in the eye with an airgun.

X-Rays revealed several pellets in his body.

Karen said: "It's just so horrible to think someone has a high powered airgun and is firing it purposely at their eyes which are the most vulnerable spots."

Just days after Richard Alan was taken to the vet and had to stay in at Priory Emergency Treatment Service, The Deneway, London Road, Brighton, another of the couple's four cats was shot.

Two-year-old Kitty returned home on Saturday morning with a pellet wound.

Karen said: "I found him hiding in one of the front rooms. Obviously the sniper had aimed at one of his eyes but grazed his nose and eye.

"After Mabel was shot two years ago, we thought that whoever had shot her had left the area because it had stopped but they have just been lying low."

Kitty has also received treatment at Priory.

The couple are now warning people not to let their pets out.

A spokeswoman for Sussex Police said: "These incidents have caused great distress to the owners. Police take this crime very seriously and will fully investigate any reports made to us. We would urge any cat owners who have suffered similar incidents to report the crime to us."

"We are keen to find out if one person is behind this and would ask the public to give us any information they may have.

"Anyone with information, or who may have been a witness to one of these incidents, is asked to contact Brighton and Hove Police on 0845 60 70 999."