A FARNWORTH family have been left counting the cost after a hamster they thought was a boy - gave birth to 10 babies.

And furious mum Tracy Barker has blasted Bolton pet shop, Pet City, who she claims have ignored her plight.

The angry 24-year-old claims the shop refuses to accept her unexpected litter - because they have been inundated with other unwanted litters.

Tracy bought the hamster for her son Sam, five, but one week later the rodent, which she had named Roger believing it to be male, gave birth.

Tracy, of Highfield Drive, took them to the pet shop but staff would not accept them. She said: "They first agreed to take the hamsters when they were six weeks old.

"But now they say they haven't got the room - because everyone else has taken back their hamsters."

Now the family fear the tiny hamsters, which mature into adults next week, could breed again leading to hundreds of tiny little feet.

Tracy added: "We love animals, but this is going too far. We are furious with the pet shop and apparently it keeps selling pregnant animals.

"They should accept responsibility. We are finding things very tough. All 11 live in a one-up-one-down hamster cage and they make such a racket. You can hear them queuing up to use the wheel.

"They take a lot of feeding and they are quite smelly. It is not an ideal situation and we feel like eaving them on the pet shop doorstep - but that would be cruel." The Barker household also includes two dogs, a cat and a goldfish.

"We just haven't got the room - or the money," Tracy said.

Store Manager Nigel Thomas said there were signs in the store informing customers that Pet City does not guarantee the sex of animals.

He added: "We have a policy of buying back hamsters after six weeks and this is explained to customers.

"Tracy should telephone our Livestock Manager and book a date for them to be brought in.

"She wanted us to take the babies there and then but they were too young. We have to abide by the terms of our licence on health and safety issues.

"And if we had taken them when she came in we would have been overstocked.

"The RSPCA would have accused us of cruelty and quite rightly so."

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