THE owners of a cat that went missing four years ago got a late surprise Christmas present when they were reunited with her the day after Boxing Day.

Willow, who is now 10 years old, disappeared after being let out to play from her home in Princetown, Devon in 2007.

The black cat was one of three that vanished from the same street within months of each other.

While one of them turned up in Taunton, Somerset, Willow was finally found in Plymouth.

"It's really only sinking in now, but it's the best Christmas present ever," owner Cristel Worth said.

"How she managed to stray from Princetown to, about 20 miles away, to get to Elburton, I have no idea."

Willow was taken in six months ago by a family until a space became available at a nearby animal rescue centre.

But it was not until last week that the Gables Farm Dogs' and Cats' Home finally identified her thanks to an implanted microchip.

Worth said she was with her husband, Mark and their two young daughters when she received the call from the charity last Tuesday.

"We had almost given up hope that we would ever find her again and it was a really wonderful experience to know that she had finally come home," she said.

"I wish she (Willow) spoke, as all we know is that for the last six months she's been living in Elburton, but the previous three and a half years are a mystery."

She added: "I'm not sure what has happened to her during the last four years but she does seem a lot more timid than before she left our family...She's now getting lots and lots of TLC, lots of cuddles and more cats' toys than you could imagine."

Originally published as Cat missing four years comes home