An Ellesmere Port family who found their missing moggy after almost two months have called his return the 'best early Christmas present ever'.

Garfield's owners were devastated when he vanished from Livingstone Road on October 9, and despite being inundated with well wishes and offers to lend a hand with the search party, they started to fear the worst.

But on the morning of November 30, Michaela Pickersgill received the news she had been desperately longing for – that Garfield had been spotted and not all that far from their home.

Michaela explained that she was alerted to a post in Facebook group Pride in the Port about a cat matching Garfield's description which was discovered by the bins behind the Holiday Inn.

She hurriedly logged on and sure enough, the cat in the photo was Garfield.

Michaela and husband Glenn rushed down to the hotel and were delighted to hear a familiar 'meow'.

After enticing him with some biscuits, they managed to get him home, where he is fast settling in again.

"As soon as we got in we let him out and he went straight to a place that we had his food," Michaela said.

"Garfield then calmed down, he was dirty but in very good condition.

"To have Garfield back is the best early Christmas present ever. He means everything to us."

Michaela has praised everyone who helped look for Garfield or shared her posts on social media to spread the word that he was missing.

She added: "I thank you from the bottom of my heart to the people who helped me search for him.

"Words will never ever be enough to thank you for your help."