A beloved family cat who went missing for three months has been reunited with its owners after it was discovered wandering around his old Beaconsfield stomping ground.

Cheryl Hilton and her family were “distraught” when 8-year-old Barney went missing from their Woodside Close home in October and had “given up hope” of ever finding him again.

However Barney has now been reunited with his “delighted” owners, and brother Ollie, after he was discovered wandering one-and-a-half miles away.

The family moved across town from Candlemas Lane last year, and they believe Barney had attempted to make his way to his former home after getting lost.

The news comes after the RSPCA launched an appeal this weekend to find the owners of missing cat Mimi who was found wandering around Beaconsfield services on the M40.

Bucks Free Press:

The RSPCA has launched an appeal to find Mimi's owners after she was discovered wandering around Beaconsfield service station.

Mrs Hilton said: “I was completely shocked when my neighbour called me to let me know the RSPCA had turned up at my house with Barney.

“I was out at the time, but I dashed back home straight away. I couldn’t believe it. He’s been home a week and a half now and he’s been the most well fed cat ever. I’m just so grateful to everyone who helped get him back to us.”

A couple called the RSPCA after noticing the feline, who had become a regular in the area, had lost some weight.

The animal charity was able to track down his owners through the microchip - and has highlighted the importance of microchipping to other pet owners.

Mrs Hilton continued: “Apparently the couple who found Barney had seen him for a few weeks and had noticed he had lost a bit of weight, but it was after he was pawing at their window at 2am in temperatures of minus two degrees that they thought something might be wrong and so let him in before calling the RSPCA.”

The family took Barney straight to the vet for a check-up but the well-travelled cat was “absolutely fine”.

RSPCA collection officer, Kate Wright, said: “Obviously if Barney had not been chipped then we would never have been able to reunite him with his family. It was also great that his owners had changed the details on his chip info to give the new address as lots of people forget to do this when they move.”