Joy at return of stowaway cat delivered miles from home by Tesco driver

Pet puss Ozzy vanished after he climbed into a Tesco delivery van making a drop-off at his owner’s home in Wisborough Green in June.

The driver - unaware that Ozzy was on board - drove on to his next stop eight miles away in Loxwood where Ozzy jumped out and disappeared, sparking a massive hunt for the cherished two-year-old tabby.

And as owner Mia Terry learned of Ozzy’s long-awaited return this week, she said: “My eyes starterd welling up, I literally couldn’t believe it. Six months in the wild. The whole situation seems so surreal and overwhelming. I never gave up hope and knew deep down that he was out there.”

Mia’s mum Kay Carter-Morley said she thought Ozzy had been living in woods, gradually trying to make his way home, and surviving on mice and birds. He was three miles from home, having crossed a canal and river, when he was spotted.

Meanwhile, during the six-month search for Ozzy, Mia co-ordinated an internet campaign while Kay contacted veterinary surgeries, the local council, cat rescue organisations, the RSPCA, local radio stations, postmen and the police.

A number of reported public sightings of Ozzy over the months came to nothing and Kay admits she was starting to give up hope of ever seeing the pet puss again when she got a call from a woman on Monday saying she had spotted the missing moggie.

Within hours, little Ozzy had been lured into a cage and returned home. “He is very, very thin,” said Kay, “but it’s so good to have him back.

“You would have thought that he would be quite scared coming back after all this amount of time, but he just walked into the house and went straight round the dog’s legs, purring - then went and sat in the dog Rio’s bed.”

Mia, who has been working in Cambodia for the past few months, is due to return home on Friday and now can’t wait to be re-united with her little pet.

“I could not be any more appreciative and grateful for the hope, support and help that everyone has given us during these last six months,” said Mia. “Perseverance and positivity from myself, my family and the general public, are what found Ozzy and I cannot thank everyone enough.”