A cat breeder from Gloucestershire has been investigated by the BBC for allegedly selling seriously sick kittens.

The broadcaster's Watchdog show ran a segment on Lizzie Scarrott of Bishops Cleeve who, the BBC says, has sold at least five kittens that have either died or been put down because of illness.

Having found she uses several different trading names on sites like Facebook and Gumtree and spoken to her customers, undercover reporters went to her house, bringing along a vet.

There they bought a kitten they renamed Custard who appeared lethargic and kept sneezing for £650 but had not been vaccinated.

The vet later diagnosed him as sick with cat flu and underweight. Custard was too sick to be vaccinated and he did not survive.

Lizzie replied to the show's investigation by saying: "I can reassure anybody that myself as person and as a cat owner will be taking extra precautions and steps to ensure that my kittens are at 100 per cent bill of health before leaving my care and that they are vaccinated and vet checked before leaving.

"It is unfortunate at this time that I was pushed into a corner and fell for the lies of the BBC.

"I wish I never sold my kitten to them and he may still be alive.

"I wish I had stuck by my own morals and had him vet checked and vaccinated before he left my care but I am only human and the posing couple were very good at tricking me into letting my Custard go."

Watch the Watchdog episode here: bbc.in/2A1V6e7