AN injured pet rabbit from York has undergone almost £1,000 worth of treatment - including a rare brain operation.

Colin, a nine-month-old Netherland Dwarf owned by Rebecca Hampton, ten, and her sister, Rachel, eight, was left with cuts to his face and scratches to his ear, and subsequent ear infection and an abscess, after being attacked by a cat in the garden of his home in Markham Street, York.

Eventually he was referred to a rabbit specialist in Harrogate where he underwent a series of operations, including a procedure called bulla osteotomy - usually only performed on cats and dogs - which involves drilling into the skull.

The girls' mother, Dr Liz Wilson, said Colin had amazed the veterinary surgeon, Frances Harcourt-Brown, with his resilience.

Dr Wilson, who believed Dr Harcourt-Brown was now going to use the case as a teaching example, said: "It was definitely worth the money."

Updated: 10:22 Saturday, April 20, 2002