A MISSING cat has been sniffed out in record time thanks to a group of pet detectives.

Becky Needs was distraught last week when Missy failed to return to her Whitecross, Hereford, home. But the black moggy was lucky, as Animal Search UK found the cat just four hours after the alarm was raised.

Volunteers from the Credenhill agency printed out posters and started knocking on doors at 1pm last Friday.

The search was called off by 5pm, as a neighbour saw the poster and found the cat in her garden shed.

“She’s not that adventurous but likes to go in places where she’s not supposed to go,” said Miss Needs. “It was such a relief but we didn’t expect to get her back so quickly.”

Tom Watkin, pet detective, said the turnaround was a record for the agency, which tracks missing pets across the UK.

“The leaflets and posters prompted people to look in their sheds, but this was the best turnover we’ve ever had,” he said