Vanishing cat makes his way home

Jack, who is 10 years old, has previously gone missing for three years and a year and a half.

By the time he found his way back, his owners Philip and Angela Crossland had moved house, but they were reunited after a neighbour spotted Jack outside his old home.

They tried to settle him in to their new home in Cawthorne, near Barnsley, but the black cat did another disappearing act and is now back home after another three years on the road.

Mr Crossland, a 50-year-old lorry driver, said: "He just can't stay with us, maybe he gets bored. He just gets the wanderlust and off he goes. We love him and he is well cared for but he is obviously very independent.

"We have no idea where he goes but it would be nice to know. The daft thing is he could be leading a double life and there could now be someone who is missing a cat they think is theirs.

"We never thought we would see him again after three years. it is the longest he has been away and we couldn't believe it when he turned up on the doorstep.

"He seems quite happy, he sits on my knee and he purrs. We are hoping this time, because he is getting older, he might stay."