Amanda Owen, 32, and her partner Michael Nash, 32, were woken up by dogs fighting and the sound of a cat crying at about 6am on Saturday.

Michael, who works as a team leader in CES UK on Sealand Industrial Estate, went outside the family home on Palgrave Close, Blacon, to call in the two family cats.

One-year-old Monty returned but Michael and Amanda were unaware that five-year-old Honey had been killed during the attack in the alleyway between Wordsworth Crescent and Meynell Place.

At about 7.45am that morning Michael went to take the family labradors Jake and Simber for their morning walk and was surprised that Honey had still not come home.

Michael said: "I had a bad feeling.

"I don't normally look down the entry but I did and it was a bit messy.

"I took the dogs back and woke Mandy up."

Amanda, who works in the kitchen of the Royal Mail sorting office on Jupiter Drive, said: "I grabbed a blanket and ran across the street but I didn't want to look at Honey. He was mangled.

"My partner was heartbroken and because we heard it, it was awful.

"I have been upset for days.

"Honey would come purring up to you and was really affectionate whereas Monty is more shy.

"We're frightened about Monty now so we keep her in at night."

She said her son Thomas Owen, 16, a pupil of Queen's Park High School, had been left "annoyed" about what happened.

Michael said: "I went across to the neighbours and someone said that her sister-in-law had seen three dogs passing the cat around.

"They then heard a whistle of a man who they think was the owner.

"What makes it worse is the fact we heard it."

The family also has a rabbit and a gecko.

The incident has been reported to police.

Sgt Anton Sullivan, of the Chester Outer Neighbourhood Policing Unit, said: "We do have some leads as to who the dogs belong to.

"It's an offence to have a dog out of control in a public place.

"If necessary we will pursue prosecution.

"We would be concerned about the dogs being out and about in public."

Anybody who has have any information about the incident is asked to call Cheshire Police on 0845 458 0000 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.