HAMSTERS BRAIN DAMAGED AFTER PAPERBOY ATTACK SHOCKER

A nine-year-old boy has been hospitalised and two hamsters placed in intensive care after a savage and shocking attack in Withering.

The incident occurred as paperboy Sebastian Labrat cycled up to a house in Bigglesworth Road to deliver a copy of the Observer.

Speaking from his bed in Froghill General, where he is being treated for shock and shredded shoe laces, Sebastian said: I’d never been to that particular house before, it was only added to my round that morning.

“As I cycled up the driveway, I could hear the faint but increasing sound of growling. This was accompanied by what sounded like the patter of tiny feet.

“Then, suddenly, a flap in the bottom of the front door burst open and they came at me. They flew at my trainers and started gnawing the laces,” stammered Sebastian, before the shaking became so bad that we had to terminate the interview.

According to their owner, who cannot be named for legal reasons, the two hamsters were merely acting in self defence.

“Bill and Ben regard my property as their territory,” the man said, “and any invasion of it as a signal to attack. It’s just unfortunate that I’d forgotten to bolt the hatch before I went to bed the previous evening.”

As Sebastian frantically shook his feet, the two hamsters became dislodged. He then desperately tried to pedal to safety.

The two rodents launched themselves at him again, this time fixing their teeth into the front tyre of his bicycle.

As the wheel revolved, both animals received several hard blows to the tops of their skulls.

The hamsters, both Patagonian Pit Bulls, were reported to be in a serious condition upon being admitted to a maximum security veterinary clinic at 8am yesterday.

Emma Podworthy, senior rodent rehab consultant at Pet Penitentiary, said: “Both animals were concussed by the repeated blows and there is every likelihood that they will be permanently brain damaged as a result.”

This is not the first time that the two rodents have attacked without provocation. In June of last year, the Observer reported that local residents were starting a petition after Bill and Ben shredded a man’s trouser turnups in the street.