MYSTERY surrounds how a curious cat that ran off after getting spooked at the vets survived six weeks alone in the woods while unable to hunt.

Broadstone pensioner Mary London was devastated after her beloved cat Tom, which was branded a hero after he “saved” her from a menacing intruder, escaped from his carrier outside Pets at Home at Wessex Gate Retail Park in mid-March.

But remarkably, a month and a half after he went missing, the black beauty has been found and reunited with his owner - with a little help from an article that appeared in the Daily Echo.

Mrs London said the rescue mission to bring Tom home was undertaken by kind-hearted father and son team, Peter and Yarry.

She said Peter saw the cat, which was still wearing the buster collar put on him by the vet, peering through the bushes at the retail park.

He was unable to catch him that night but returned the next day with his son, who clambered through the undergrowth to reach him.

After his friend found an article about Tom's disappearance on the Daily Echo website, Peter got in touch with Mary and reunited her with her precious pet.

The 79 year old, who was away the weekend Tom was found, said he had lost half of his body weight but is making a good recovery.

She said: “He was frail and disorientated, very wobbly on his feet and emaciated but by the time I came home three days later, he was eating, sleeping well and looking better.

“Now, ten days later, he is still painfully thin but is gaining strength and has ventured out in the garden enjoying the sunshine."

She added: “How that little cat survived for six weeks with that collar on, I shall never be able to fathom.

“He is quite a good hunter, despite his eleven years, but could not hunt and kept going, we assume, with scraps thrown away by KFC customers and drinking from a nearby stream.”

In 2010 Tom was nominated for Cats Protection’s Cat of the Year award after he warned Mrs London there was an intruder in her home.

Describing the friendly feline as her “little prince among cats”, Mrs London said: "I'm just thrilled to have him home. It's wonderful."