A little cat with a big personality has been returned to his owners after going missing for 10 months.

Cooper, the black and white cat with a shortened tail, became quite the celebrity in Dereham after he was regularly spotted visiting his favourite haunts from the pet shop to the library, the GP surgery and even a nightclub.

He was particularly fond of visiting various primary schools around the town.

His adventures became so well known that owner Sarah Diack, from Scarning, set up his own Facebook page called Cooper the cat from Scarning's travels, so anyone who spotted him could let them know where he was.

But in April last year Cooper went on an adventure and didn't return.

Then, out of the blue at the end of last week, Miss Diack received a call from Grove Vets in Norwich Road, Dereham, saying they had scanned a microchip on a cat and it was Cooper.

They had no idea where he had been all this time and why the streetwise cat had not been able to find his way home.

'I was gobsmacked and totally shocked,' she said, adding that the vets said he was in good condition so believe he has clearly been living somewhere else all this time.

'We picked him up and he settled straight away. He knew he was home, sleeping on the same basket under the stairs.'

Cooper was introduced to her and partner Gary's new baby Annabelle and has been getting lots of attention from their very excited six year old, Jack, who always believed he would be back.

But while the family are delighted to be reunited with their special cat Miss Diack is convinced someone took Cooper in and kept him inside so he couldn't find his way home.

She had an important message to people who may be tempted to let a cat into their home.

'If you see Cooper or any other cat that clearly already has a home, please don't let them in or feed them,' she said. 'I really think it confuses them and takes them longer to get home. We are grateful to people who have helped find Cooper in the past but if he comes to your house please send him on his way. We can't have this happen again.'

Although Cooper has been out and about again he is coming back home more regularly and has yet to show the same free spirit. But it may just be a matter of time.