My cat was missing for 15 days until firefighters and RSPCA rescued it from a well at Longride reservoir

The cat, whose name is Mouse, often leaves the house for hours and days at the time. But on September 7, Mouse left the house but did not return causing her owner, Martin Bostock to become worried.

The professional photographer and former Blackpool Gazette photographer posted appeals on the local Facebook appealing for help to track Mouse down. He also created posters and leaflets and delivered them close to his home in Longridge.

Mr Bostock said: “It is like one of the family was missing, I love my cats, we have two and they are both part of the family and you do worry about them when they go missing.”

After Mouse was missing for 15 days, mr Bockstock got a surprise knock on his door.

Mr Bostock said: “There was a knock on the door on the Sunday and I went to the door and there was a nice lady called Kelly from the RSPCA. She had Mouse in a cage with her. She had been rescued and they brought her straight round as she is microchipped.

“She explained that the fire and rescue team had been called out and retrieved her from the bottom of the well shaft at the United Utilities reservoir at Longridge.”

Mr Bostock said he was completely shocked when Mouse was returned to him by the RSPCA as he had thought that Mouse was gone for good after such a long time.

Mr Bostock said: “It was a real surprise, she was filthy and did not smell too good so we brought her in, gave her a little bit of food and showered her off and she has been sleeping and eating and is getting back to health.

“She is very thin and has lost a lot of weight, we took her to the vets yesterday, just to get her checked out and make sure she is okay.

“They said she had a little bit of a temperature so we gave her some antibiotics to make sure she is okay, she had to have the fur shaved off her belly, she’s a long haired cat and it had all got matted.”

Mouse is now continuing to recover at home with her family.