A kind couple rescued helpless kittens cruelly abandoned in the undergrowth.

Jullian Raphael Flandez and his girlfriend were travelling home when they noticed a tricycle slow down beside a field and toss something into the grass in South Cotabato, the Philippines.

When they went to check, they found three tabbies huddled together under the weeds.

Footage shows the Good Samaritans carefully lifting the frightened moggies one by one from the ground.

Jullian said: ‘That afternoon felt ordinary at first. On our way home, though, the day took an unexpected turn.

'My girlfriend suddenly spotted a tricycle slowing down near the bushes. The driver tossed something onto the roadside and drove off.'

They heard faint cries from the spot where the driver had been and discovered the kittens.

Jullian added: ‘We stopped a little ahead, pretending not to notice, and waited for the tricycle to disappear. Then we ran back to see what had been thrown away.

‘Sure enough, there they were, three tiny kittens, huddled together and crying on the side of the road.'

The couple comforted the fragile animals and took them home.

Jullian said: ‘They were so small, and the sky was darkening with rain clouds. We already have a house full of cats, so keeping them isn't an option.

‘But we couldn't just leave them there to die. So we made a plan. We'd take them home, keep them warm and fed, and then find them a family who would love them.'

The kittens are now safe with the pair until they can be adopted into new homes.