Cat spent week triggering fire station alarm

Portia the cat was found behind the fire station's washing machine after she went missing in August

Firefighters who were left perplexed after a week of false alarms finally caught the culprit, which turned out to be a cat.

Portia had been missing from her home in Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire, since 24 August, which coincided with a spate of overnight alarm activations at the town's fire station.

Watch Commander Ian Bowkett admitted he and the crew could not figure out what was triggering the alarm until the cat was spotted in the station window.

He said: "We discovered Portia was hiding behind the fire station's washing machine. So now cat and owners have been happily reunited."

Portia's owners, Ruth and David Pocknell, said they were "over the moon" after receiving the "absolutely wonderful" news.

Ms Pocknell said: "David and I are so very grateful to everyone at the station and all who helped to find her and spread the word on social media that we were looking for her.

"She looks no different to when she went missing."