Dorset cat missing for 10 years found 260 miles away near Wigan

A cat that went missing from its home in Dorset 10 years ago has been reunited with its owner after being found 260 miles away.

Chubbs disappeared from his family home in Weymouth in 2012, leaving his owner Donna Gallacher distraught.

The tabby was found in Greater Manchester and taken to a vets where a microchip revealed his true owner.

Ms Gallacher, who searched for him for years, said she never gave up hope of finding him.

The story was originally revealed in the Dorset Echo after the cat was found in the market town of Ashton-in-Makerfield.

Hedgehog rescuer Kelly told the BBC she regularly spotted Chubbs following schoolchildren around when she dropped her daughter off at school in the mornings.

"I thought at first it was someone's pet following them instead of turning around," she said.

Chubbs (pictured here before he went missing from his home in Weymouth in 2012) still remembers his name, Ms Gallacher said

She added: "The day that I picked him up he was slowly walking across the main road in random directions, weaving between moving cars and narrowly being missed.

"I couldn't leave him there to get run over so I picked him up from the centre of the road and took him into my car.

"He was so friendly and lovely, but extremely skinny, covered in fleas, soaking wet - it had been raining heavily the night before - and generally looking like a stray."

'No teeth'

The soggy moggy was taken into Rutland Vets who then emailed Ms Gallacher.

"I didn't know anything until I got this email from the vets and when I saw Chubbs' name my heart skipped a beat," she said.

The 40-year-old, who believes the cat was originally stolen by someone on holiday in the coastal town, added: "The vets said Chubbs looked as though he was on his last legs - he has no teeth and is covered in mats.

"He has problems walking too and we're worried he's got kidney problems."

Ms Gallacher said her local vets suggested the 15-year-old feline should have blood tests and X-rays to establish why he was unable to walk properly.

"It broke my heart thinking I might have to say goodbye to him but he's been getting stronger every day," she said.

"He's happy now and I'm going to let him live out his older years. Until then he's going to be a very spoilt old man."

Most importantly, she said he had not forgotten her after all this time.

"He follows me around and won't leave me alone, he hasn't stopped purring," she said.

"And he remembers his name - when I call him his head comes straight up."