Portsmouth cat survives crusher at freezing rubbish dump

The Read family reunited with Tinks after his two week disappearing act

A cat has had a lucky escape from the "evil crusher" at a waste recycling plant, surviving for two weeks outside during the recent cold weather.

Tinks the tabby disappeared from his Portsmouth home earlier this month and was caught at the Veolia site in Fareham by the Cat Welfare Group.

It shared a post on social media before a family member recognised the 15-year-old moggy and alerted owner Ben Read.

He said everyone was happy to have Tinks home for Christmas.

The cat, which was neutered but not micro-chipped, was spotted by staff at the depot on Thursday.

They saw it as it was being offloaded from a truck from Hedge End, some 18 miles from the family home in the Stamshaw area of Portsmouth.

Staff notified the Cat Welfare Group, a charity which has rescued cats from the recycling plant before.

CEO Lorrie Seymour-Baynes said: "He came out with the rubbish, they stopped operations immediately. How he survived is remarkable, because they compact the waste. The crusher is an evil thing."

The picture of Tinks which was shared on social media and local radio which Ben Read's mum saw

A social media post was shared 1,500 times and "the owner's mother saw the post, she knew it was him", Ms Seymour-Baynes added.

Mr Read said the family had "no idea" where Tinks had been during the past fortnight or how he ended up at Hedge End, but added "he's probably on the last of his nine lives".

Asked whether his pet was glad to be home, Mr Read said: "He's just got very needy and is following us around. But it's great that he's home for Christmas, the kids are happy."