More than 100 people join missing cat search

Mini was nine-months-old when she went missing

More than 100 volunteers have been looking for a cat who was spotted 200 miles away from home but is still missing, her owner has said.

Mini disappeared from Stoke-on-Trent on 30 March and was later seen in County Durham in mid April. Police are investigating whether she was taken during a reported break-in.

Owner Leann Chello said the support she had received had been "overwhelming", with people travelling from Chester-le-Street, Washington and as far away as Teesside to help the search.

"She is my absolute world. I really want her back," she said.

Mini was nine-months-old when she went missing and had never been outside on her own, Ms Chello said.

"I was absolutely devastated," she said.

"She means more to me than anything in the world.

"I'm holding out hope that she does come home and we are reunited."

Ms Chello posted on social media after being told where the cat might be.

One of those helping in the search after seeing the plea, Julie Campbell, said volunteers were out looking for up to six hours at a time, "wandering, and hoping and praying" that Mini would show up.

Ms Campbell said the support had been "phenomenal".

"We rallied together and there's quite a lot of us still searching," she said.

"We're holding out hope that she's still out there somewhere, that someone's seen her and took her in."

Mini has been missing for nearly four months

There has been only one confirmed sighting of Mini in the area.

Resident Gina Skinner said she spotted the cat running across Lumley New Road into nearby bushes on 12 April.

Ms Skinner, who had joined the search after finding out about it from social media, said she pulled over and tried to bring Mini out after recognising her from pictures.

She said the cat looked at her, but got scared by the traffic and ran away.

"It was most definitely Mini that ran across the road," she said, adding it was upsetting to have narrowly missed her.

Fellow searcher Rene Carr said it had been very frustrating that there had not been any more sightings but volunteers were determined to keep looking.

"I've walked for miles in the woods," she said.

"I've at knocked on every house on the edge of the woods. We've left no stone unturned."

Staffordshire Police said a man had been charged with burglary with intent to cause damage.