TWELVE Christmas miracles became Shane Hunt’s legacy to his two young daughters.

Mr Hunt, 48, was found bleeding to death with critical head injuries in their driveway last November.

Wife Karen Incledon discovered him unconscious but attempts to revive him failed.

His nine-year-old daughters Amaba and Molly spent Christmas Day huddled under the family tree as their cats Pumpkin and Panda had 12 kittens between them.

Ms Incledon said the little gifts were a sign from her late husband.

“Shane was always full of surprises,” she said.

“He must have had something to do with this to make Christmas special for us.”

The family lit a candle for Shane on Christmas morning.

“After about 30 seconds the flame just shot right up and one hour later the first kitten was born,” Ms Incledon said.

Amaba said she discovered the kitten at about 9am when snooping for presents.

“I went to look under the tree and I saw this black thing,” she said.

“We got the torch and saw it was a little kitten.”

After 10 kittens were born Ms Incledon thought she was safe to leave.

But two more were waiting when they returned home.

Molly said a lot of thought went into naming their new feline friends. The kittens are called Liquorice, Popcorn, Tigger, Coco, Butterscotch, Trouble, Opal, Sweet Sugar, Spotty, Shoes, High Heels and Laces.

Ms Incledon said both cats had cared for all 12 kittens.

“They have learnt to share them, which is unusual,” she said.

“I rang the vet and they had never heard of anything like this before.”

She said Shane was an animal person who had a soft spot for cats.

The builder welcomed the two pregnant stray cats into his home last August.

“He saved a lot of animals and had a way with them,” she said.

“We had a wild ginger cat years ago and he managed to tame it.

“He used to sing to it in the shower and the cat would meow back to him.”

Ms Incledon broke down when describing her life without him.

“It’s just about trying to cope day by day and keeping the girls occupied,” she said.

“We are all trying to live with this for the rest of our lives.

“I have a beautiful house that he spent 17 years building and now he is not here to see it.

“It does not matter what I do, because I just end up crying.

“I struggle particularly at night-time when I try to go to sleep because I can’t get rid of what I saw in the driveway.”

Police treated the death as suspicious and investigations are ongoing.

The family is now trying to find homes for the kittens.

Anyone wanting to care for one can contact 0431 046 836.