The couple who used their pet ferrets as bowling balls - then posted the footage on YouTube

A callous pair who used their pet ferrets as bowling balls before posting the footage on YouTube have defended their actions, saying 'It's not cruel - ferrets love playing games'.

The sickening shows Andy Thomas, a YMCA employee, and a female colleague hurling the creatures across the floor to knock over improvised skittles.

During the film, the woman owner of the two male ferrets can be heard joking 'now I've got video evidence for the RSPCA' as she throws one towards empty plastic bottles.

The two clips, which are each around 30 seconds long, have now been removed from the video-sharing website.

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Sickening: The video shows Andy Thomas hurling the ferrets across the floor to knock over improvised skittles made out of plastic bottles

The pair were reported to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals by Thomas's brother Lee, 38.

Mr Thomas said: "He [Andy] is being cruel to animals. If I didn't say anything about it I would be just as bad. The worst thing is that he finds it funny.

"A lot of people are cruel to animals and get away with it, but here is video evidence to prove it."

But Thomas, a roller blading supervisor, defended his actions last night, saying: "It's not cruel - ferrets love playing games.

'It's not harmful. I didn't know the film was being taken or that it was on YouTube. But it is intended to make people laugh.'

His female colleague, who is no longer with the YMCA, also insisted: "They enjoy it because they play and bounce around.

It's not dangerous - they are well looked after and get regular check-ups and walks.'

But Kath Airey, from the RSPCA, said: "Anything like this is particularly concerning and needs reporting to inspectors.

'They will investigate. The RSPCA would not hesitate in prosecuting if they found an animal had been abused.

'It's basically adults using animals as a toy. I certainly would not like to be thrown across the floor like a bowling ball.'

The ferrets, which are aged between four and six months and were adopted from a resuce centre in Halifax, West Yorksire, were unharmed during the incident.

Cyril Love, general secretary of the YMCA, also in Halifax, confirmed he had asked the pair to stop once he realised what was going on.

"It did take place at the Halifax YMCA,' he added. 'I saw it myself and asked for it to stop. I thought it was cruel and inappropriate."

Last updated at 14:52pm on 15.04.08