Trainee reporter Chris Watson has been tearing his hair out trying to uncover the true identity of a mystery moggy.

The story began when a young cat was found asleep in the engine compartment of a van travelling from Burton-upon-Trent in Staffordshire to Cambridge.

The astonished driver examined the feline and discovered an identity tag.

He could just about make out a Burton telephone code but the second part of the number had been scratched off.

So he handed the cat in at an RSPCA shelter and staff there alerted the Cambridge Evening News to the story.

Reporters Kate Ash and Dan Grinner then contacted Chris Watson at the Burton Mail and his story about the cat was featured on the Mail’s front page.

The same day, Cheryl and Paul Mera, from Burton, contacted an animal tracking charity saying the cat was their missing tabby, Princess.

But the couple claimed they didn’t have enough money to collect the cat as they were both on benefits.

So after contacting the RSPCA, Chris arranged for the charity to transport the moggy back to Burton for an emotional reunion with the Mera family.

But the happy occasion went wrong when the family turned up to get their cat – it wasn’t Princess after all.

The sad feline is now sat in an RSPCA shelter in Stretton whilst Chris tries to locate the true owners.

He told HoldtheFrontPage: “I couldn’t believe it when they said the cat wasn’t theirs. It’s such a lovely little thing, I think I would have kept it anyway.

“If nobody comes forward to claim her, I’ll be very tempted to have her myself – but my housemate says we’re not allowed any pets.”

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