CAT lover Wendy Clayton has criticised the RSPCA for refusing to allow her to adopt a cat because she lives on a busy road.

Wendy has had two cats at her home in Hazlemere for the past 15 years and contacted the animal charity after one of her pets was put down.

But the RSPCA refused her request, saying that any cat she rehoused could be at risk from traffic because she lives on a busy road.

Wendy, a retired secretary from Hazlemere, said: "I phoned the number and spoke to someone there who said 'Where do you live?' and I told her and she said 'Oh no, that is a rat run. We do not rehome cats on busy roads'. When I heard this I was livid."

She says that traffic in her street is not dangerous and her road is not a rat run.

She explained: "It is normal domestic traffic. The only time that our road gets a bit of extra traffic is if there is a problem on the Holmer Green Road or Amersham Road.

"That is exceptional. I have spoken to friends and they say that they have had the same experience."

Wendy finally managed to adopt a cat from Birman Rescue, a pedigree cat charity.

A spokeswoman for the RSPCA said: "What usually happens is a home visit and one of the criteria is roads."

She added that there have been cases where animals have been killed on busy roads.