A family cat feared dumped in a national park is home safe after being missing for more than 200 days.

The Martins family from Paget launched a major search after Teddy, their ginger and white male cat, went missing in April.

It was believed he had been taken and released in Warwick in the Loughlands park area – but he could not be traced.

But Lexy Correia, a new resident in the Astwood Park area of the parish, spotted Teddy and recognised him from social media posts.

Ms Correia, an animal lover, said: “I had to get him back.

“I couldn’t imagine having him missing all that time. I really wanted it to be him.”

Candys Martins posted on her Facebook page, as well as the Lost and Found Pets Bermuda site after Teddy vanished.

The elusive feline was spotted around Cobbs Hill and Marley Beach, which sparked a flurry of messages.

Ms Correia spotted the timid cat from time to time around her home and identified him from markings and his collar – but coaxing him to stay was a problem.

She said “my own cats looked at me like I was an idiot” as she called to Teddy to try and win his trust.

Ms Correia contacted the Martins and said they found him “lying in my driveway” when Ms Martins arrived last Thursday night.

She added: “I think they had given up at this point. They never thought they would see him again.”

It took Teddy’s owner hours to get the frightened pet close enough to catch him and take him home.

Ms Correia said she was “thrilled – the news made a lot of people happy”.

Ms Martins added: “It’s amazing. We never thought we would be able to find him after 202 days.

“We stopped looking for him after three months.”

She said Teddy had been looked over by a vet and was healthy.

Ms Martins thanked “everyone for everything they did to help us find Teddy”.