A couple who were desperately searching for their lost cat finally solved the mystery - after CCTV captured the cheeky pet jumping into the back of a van.
Three-year-old puss Darcy hopped inside a TV repair man's van which was parked outside her owner Matt Ryder and Katya Aleksic’s home.
Footage shows the driver getting into the van and driving off from their road in Beechdale, Nottingham, on July 15 with Darcy hiding in the back.
When the cat failed to return that night Matt and Katya launched a Facebook appeal to find their beloved pet and plastered posters around the area but to no avail.
Incredibly, 16 days later they received a message from someone living 35 miles away in Knighton, Leicester, saying they had spotted Darcy walking along their road.
The couple dashed to the area and searched the streets for Darcy who finally jumped into Matt’s arms when he called her name.
Software developer Matt, 31, said: “When we first realised she was missing we put up posters and asked our neighbours if they’d seen her.
“One of my neighbour’s checked his CCTV just in case and it caught Darcy jumping into the TV repair man’s van.
“The driver had no idea she was in there and just drove off after leaving our house.
“We contacted the driver who told us where he’d been after coming to our house and we were able to follow in Darcy’s footsteps.
“It was a huge long shot but we didn’t give up. Eventually we received a message from
someone saying they had seen her in Knighton in Leicester.
“We drove over to the area and searched everywhere until I just dropped to my knees and shouted her name and she jumped into my arms.
“It was like something out of a movie. It was so amazing.
"I was speechless and overwhelmed. I was so happy we had found her.”
She was found just 200 yards from the van driver's Knighton stop.
Primary school teacher Katya, 27, said: “Matt went over straight away but by that time Darcy had run off.
“About 30 minutes later Matt then spotted a shadow and he called out to her and she ran up to him and put her paws up on his arms.
“When I saw her again it was the best feeling in the world and I still don’t believe it’s really happened.
“She was quite thin but apart from that she was fine. We’re so relieved.”
