A COUPLE whose cat escaped from a cattery while they were on holiday say they will continue to search for him and are appealing for help.

Phil Walker and Clare Paradine, both 36, were in Spain when they heard their 14-year-old pet Monty had disappeared from Plantation Boarding Kennels and Cattery in High Catton. Monty escaped about four weeks ago when a member of staff went to check on him during a thunderstorm and the cat bolted through the door.

Since then the Stamford Bridge couple have spent weekends searching the surrounding area for their pet.

Mr Walker said: “He vanished and we still have not seen him. We had a week of worrying about it. When we got back we dropped everything off and went straight to the cattery. We thought he might recognise our voices.

“The two of us have been quite emotional about it. We have spent weekends walking over fields looking for him.”

David Haycox, of Plantation Kennels, said a member of staff had been to check on Monty, who is a particularly anxious cat, as he was making a lot of noise during a thunderstorm.

He said: “We are very careful with animals. The cat fled during an electric storm and we have spent untold hours looking for it. We are very, very sad about it and, in fact, the staff have been in tears about it. We have had an exemplary history of hundreds of animals with us.” If anyone has seen Monty, a large black-and-brown tabby, phone 01759 372126.