A MISSING cat was reunited with her owners after turning up at a fishing lake in Chelmsford...27 miles from her home in Stanford-le-Hope.

Louise Merrigan, 30, had almost given up on ever seeing nine-year-old Marcel alive again after he disappeared from her home last month.

But they were reunited 24 days after Marcel went missing - thanks to an internet coincidence and a caring angler.

Marcel, who was bought as a kitten by Louise, had been last seen wandering around near her home on Friday May 22.

Science teacher Louise, who has just returned to work following the birth of daughter Matilda, immediately set up a poster campaign for her treasured pet, who is neutured and chipped.

But she feared he had gone for good when she got no response.

Louise and husband Aaron scoured the area, putting up more posters and asking neighbours and residents if they had seen him, as well as launching an internet campaign.

She had just about given up hope when she received a phone call on Sunday morning from a complete stranger, saying he thought he had seen the missing moggy at a fishing lake.

Louise said: “I was so excited, I couldn’t believe it.

“I got dressed and was already to go, thinking he meant the fishing lakes down the road when he told me he was close to Chelmsford – almost 30 miles way.

“But the description matched. So I had to go.

"When I got there I walked up to where he was and he turned and ran to me and was mewing and purring straight away.

"I put him straight in his cat basket and brought him home."

She added: “I have no idea how he got there, so far away. Maybe he got in a car or something, he must be the best hitch-hiker in the world.

"I am so grateful to the angler, Lee Jarvis, from Shoebury. I am just so lucky that he spotted Marcel and thought he looked like a cat he had seen on an internet post.

"He messaged me at 6.40am on Sunday morning, and some other anglers fed Marcel and kept him close until I got there. It was amazing.

“Marcel’s skinny, raggedy and tired but he’s purring and safe. I am so grateful to Lee.

"He had been alerted by other anglers who had spotted Marcel hanging about the Chelmsford Angling Association lake.

"It’s just amazing that Lee remembered seeing the picture and he checked and then called me. I am so grateful.“