A delighted pet owner is celebrating after being reunited with her cat after a 10-year search. 

Androulla Gould, 50, of Iver Heath, has been reunited with her cat Giles after he disappeared from the family home when he was five years old.

Mrs Gould said: “We guessed that he was being fed elsewhere, as he stayed away more and more often – and then one day he just never came home.”

Mrs Gould, who was living in Hayes at the time, searched high and low for Giles, that she had raised from a kitten, but was unable to locate him.

Mrs Gould said: “We always wondered where he could have gone.”

But ten years later, she received a surprise telephone call from the Harlington Animal Sanctuary.

She said: “They told me they had received a tabby cat, who’s microchip was registered to my phone number. 

“I was in shock – I just couldn’t believe it. I started crying on the phone. It turned out that Giles had been in the care of an old lady who lived just four streets away. He had been well loved by all accounts – she had named him Tigger.

“But the lady had passed away, and her concerned neighbours took Giles to the animal sanctuary. That’s when they decided to scan him, and my phone number popped up.

“I picked him up that same day – the staff at the sanctuary were so pleased to reunite us, that they actually waived the bill for the health check.”

Giles is now back with his family, who now live near Pinewood Studios.

He has also been reunited with Mrs Gould’s other cat, who she had also raised from a kitten, although his fellow feline was ‘less than impressed’ with his sudden return.

The pet owner said: “He was almost back in time for my birthday. I’ve kept in touch with the neighbours who found him.

“They were so generous – they bought a bunch of food for him when they took him to the sanctuary, and they didn’t want any money back for it.”