A cat owner says she is "over the moon" after her pet, missing for five months, was found more than 20 miles away from home.

Jennie Prest say she had given up hope that she would see nine-year-old Tilly again after a widespread appeal to find her proved unsuccessful.

Tortoiseshell Tilly was allegedly snatched by a delivery driver in Chenies Way, west Watford, on January 26.

According to a neighbour of Ms Prest, a courier was seen putting Tilly into a white van - although Ms Prest was later told that Tilly had jumped out of the van just a couple of minutes later.

Read more: Hunt for cat snatched by delivery driver

That was enough to prompt Tilly's owner into looking for her around Holywell but searches proved to be in vain - and by April, Ms Prest was clinging on to the hope that Tilly had at least found herself a new home and was being cared for there.

But last Thursday, completely out of the blue, Ms Prest received a phone call from a vets - and it became clear why she was unable to track her cat down in Watford.

The vet was from Enfield and told a shocked Ms Prest that a woman had brought a cat in and they had identified her as Tilly because she was microchipped.

Ms Prest was taken by two friends on Thursday afternoon to pick Tilly up - and she is now back at home.

Hillingdon Times:

Tilly pictured back at home a couple of days ago

Ms Prest said: "It was such a surprise to receive the call. I'd sort of given up hope. It all seems a little unbelievable.

"I am over the moon to have her back and delighted she's here and she has settled in well again. It's like she never went away."

The vets told Ms Prest that the woman who had brought Tilly in had seen the cat every so often in her garden for the last six weeks and decided to take her to the vet.

But Ms Prest has no idea how Tilly made it all the way over to Enfield.

Hillingdon Times:

She added: "The vet located me because of the microchip so get your pets chipped. I'd also say take a cat that looks like a stray to the vets because they may not be a stray and you can reunite them with their families.

"I'd also like to thank the lady who brought Tilly in and the vets and everyone who looked for Tilly, leafleted, and shared my Facebook posts."