A Suffolk family is desperately appealing for help to find their two-year-old cat Eddie, who has been missing for more than two weeks.

Joanna Gorringe and her family moved to Mutford from Kessingland three weeks ago, and have been tirelessly searching both neighbourhoods since his disappearance on December 22.

Ms Gorringe awoke to find her cat flap was broken and no sign of Eddie.

She said: 'In the morning I got up and went downstairs and his brother Max was there to greet me but there was no sign of Eddie. I went into the kitchen and saw the cat flap was broken.

'He was so keen to get out and explore that he smashed and broke his way through.

'I just thought he was having a nosey around Mutford and would come back that night. But by the time the weekend came I was really starting to worry.'

Eddie is a cross tabby/tortoiseshell and cross Bengal and is dark brown with strong black lines and dots all over his fur. He is neutered and chipped but refuses to wear a collar.

Ms Gorringe, her partner Tommi, her 18-year-old daughter, 12-year-old twins and eight-year-old son have been returning to their old house in Kessingland on a daily basis and have left food outside - which remains uneaten.

They have posted letters through hundreds of doors in Kessingland, Mutford and villages in between in the hope someone might have seen him and have contacted local vets and newsagents to put notices in the window.

Ms Gorringe has also posted on Facebook, Twitter and missing pet websites.

She said: 'We have walked miles in our search at different times of the day calling him and shaking his biscuits. We have left clothes with our smell on outside our new house and even taken to scattering his used cat litter all around to try and help him with the scent if he is lost.

'There are a lot of fields, lanes, barns and farms in Mutford and it would be great if everyone could check their garages, sheds and gardens.

'He is so much more than just a cat to us. He is part of the family.

'We had a bad Christmas worrying about him and now it's the New Year and he's still not back.

'Even his brother is acting out of character.'

Anyone with any information about Eddie can contact Ms Gorringe on 07854801433.