Missing Sunderland cat found in engine bay 40 miles from home

A missing cat used one of his nine lives when he was found 40 miles (64km) from home in a car engine bay.

Charlie, a five-year-old rescue cat, disappeared from his home in Grangetown, Sunderland, on Sunday morning.

He had managed to sneak behind the grille of a car, before hitching a ride to Warkworth in Northumberland.

Owner Laura Carroll said he was "very lucky" to survive the journey without suffering any injuries.

When the family noticed the house cat had gone missing, Ms Carroll's daughter began searching the area, calling out his name.

But after several hours passed they took to social media, posting a picture along with a plea for anyone with information to contact them.

"The kids were scared for him and my youngest just kept asking 'where's Charlie?'," Ms Carroll said.

"I thought he might just come back, but because he's a house cat it was worrying."

Unbeknown to the driver of the vehicle, Charlie had been travelling with them.

After finding him squeezed into the engine space, he was passed to JJ's Cat and Kitten Rescue, based in Blyth and Morpeth, who issued an appeal for the owner to come forward.

But it was not until she was alerted by friends that Ms Carroll was aware he had been found.

She said the whole family were taken by surprise, adding: "I just wanted to get him back home."

"We're still in shock that he went all that way there."

After being checked over, he travelled back to Sunderland - this time in the passenger seat of a car - later that day.

Joanne Stewart, who helps to run JJ's Cat and Kitten Rescue, said she was "delighted to reunite Charlie with his family" and the case "just shows the power of social media".

"Even house cats can go walkabouts and get themselves into mischief, so they also need to be microchipped," she said.

Ms Carroll has since praised those who helped rescue Charlie and has donated to the rescue centre. She will also get Charlie microchipped.

It is not the first time a feline has found itself in a sticky situation, earlier this year a missing cat was found under a school minibus bonnet in North Tyneside and in 2020, a Birmingham cat made a 130-mile trip after also being trapped in the engine bay.

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