A PROFESSIONAL search party was commissioned to look for a cat after more than £1,300 was raised on Facebook to help find the missing pet.
Experts from Animal Search UK sent a team to Royston equipped with infra red scanners to 'see through' garden sheds, two-way radios, safe and humane cat traps and recordings of the owner's voice to reassure Jimmy, the Lynx Point Bengal cat. They found him in a garden in Church Hill, Royston, on Tuesday after searching for just two hours.
The fuss followed a 'viral' Facebook campaign to track down the cat - which is almost three - since he went missing on December 19. More than 8,000 people 'liked' the page dedicated to him and his poster has been shared on many other social media sites.
Owner Clare Brereton said: "He's become an internet sensation. I just can't believe all the support he's had. Everyone loves Jimmy."
It was Clare's friends and Facebook fans who 'bullied' her into setting up a fund-raising page to raise money for the search. "I was resistant at first. People were trying to persuade me to do it but I said we just couldn't afford what it costs, and unfortunately the insurance wouldn't cover it," said Clare.
"But on Sunday I gave in and did it, and we raised more than £1,000 within four hours. I just couldn't believe it. It's been amazing.
"I just can't believe we've got him back. It's just absolutely fantastic. He's definitely pleased to be home."
