AN adventurous cat has been returned to his owners after being found more than 100 miles from home.

No one is quite sure just how eight-year-old Alfie managed to get to Hay-on-Wye after leaving his owners in Wiltshire just before Christmas.

But his route back from the Welsh Marches was a straightforward one – thanks to the wonders of modern technology.

Alfie was spotted by one Hay resident who had grown concerned for the cat after seeing him outside their house over several days.

The pet was taken to Hay Veterinary Group where staff noticed that Alfie's owners had invested in a microchip.

Leanne Davies, from the border town's vets, said this proved essential to help staff get Alfie home.

"We were able to go onto the pet log database with the number from the chip and find the owner's details," she added.

"We thought that the owner had possibly moved to the area and just not updated the database so were shocked to find she still lived in Devizes, Wiltshire.

"We have heard various stories of it happening with cats getting into lorries but I have never seen a case of a cat travelling that far before."

Alfie's owner Helen O'Daly said her pet had "just disappeared" which was very unusual as he "loves his food".

She said: "Suddenly he just wasn't around and nobody had seen him. We sent out Facebook messages and pictures but eventually gave up hope thinking he has just took himself off.

"Nobody knows what happened except Alfie, somebody said we should write a children's book about his adventures.

"He's definitely glad to be home and doesn't like going in cars so we wonder how he got to Hay."

Mrs O'Daly added: "The woman who found him had also lost her cat so left the cat flap and bed in her garage, so he was hanging around there.

"He used to be a grumpy cat but the woman who found him said he was so friendly."