OFFICIALS from the RSPCA have expressed their horror at a spate of attacks on animals - and criticised television entertainment for making cruelty seem more acceptable.

In the last week of September and the first week of this month, the charity said pets had been set on fire, mutilated and shot in a shockingly violent string of incidents.

Recent attacks in the region include yobs stamping to death five guinea pigs in Consett, County Durham, and a rabbit being left to die in Newton Aycliffe after having parts of its ears sliced off.

The charity said it had no clear explanation for the escalation in violence, but warned against the possible dangers of animals being demeaned in the name of entertainment.

It said the popularity of reality shows such as ITV's I'm A Celebrity . . . Get Me Out Of Here was a cause for concern.

Director general Jackie Ballard said: "We now see so-called survival shows where a chicken will be killed by amateurs for no other purpose than entertainment.

''We have celebrities eating live insects and crawling through tubes filled with rats. Our fear is that people will become desensitised and feel it is acceptable to abuse animals."

The charity said the recent attacks were typical of a wider increase in animal cruelty, which last year saw 57 people receive prison sentences in cases brought by the RSPCA, up from 46 the previous year.

RSPCA superintendent for the north, David Millard, said: ''Although we investigate a number of brutal incidents over each year, this sudden glut of violent cases is deeply troubling.''

A spokesman for Granada, maker of I'm A Celebrity, said: "Granada takes every precaution to ensure that animals are not hurt in the making of our programmes."