YOUTHS who flung a live cat at the windscreen of a bus are being hunted by police.

The driver contacted police after seeing the animal hit the front of the First York bus as it drove through Tang Hall, at the junction of Fifth Avenue and Eighth Avenue.

The cat ran off, apparently uninjured.

But the action has been condemned by animal lovers.

"This was very cruel and must have been very distressing for the animal," said a spokeswoman for the RSPCA.

"Unfortunately, there are some people out there who don't realise that animals have feelings and get distressed, and this cat may well have been injured."

Police are asking witnesses to the event, which happened shortly before 10pm on Monday, to contact them on 01904 631321.

The driver reported seeing four youths running from the scene. Two were wearing baseball caps and one had a cream puffa style jacket with NY printed on the back.

Updated: 10:39 Thursday, December 13, 2001