A FAMILY from Great Sankey were amazed to be reunited with their cat who went missing almost 11 years ago.

In April 2010, five-year-old Dexter and his sister Daisy were adopted from St Helens Cat Protection League Julie Gibbons and her family.

After four weeks, the pair went into the garden, but Dexter climbed over the back fence and disappeared.

Julie, 56, recalled: "We’re not sure whether something spooked him or if he got confused as the area was new to him and he became disorientated.

"We searched all over the area and left his details at vets and rescue centres.

"His microchip was registered to us so we hoped that someone would take him in and get him checked at a vet.

"We never heard anything again until last Friday when we were absolutely amazed to receive a call from the vet to say that 'a cat registered to your address has been handed in'.

"They were equally amazed when we said that he had been missing for nearly 11 years!

"A couple had found him wandering outside their house near the David Lloyd gym.

"They saw that he was disorientated so they took him in and then took him to Medivet to get him checked."

Dexter is now 16 years old and completely blind, but seems happy, settled and is enjoying cuddles.

He has even been reunited with sister Daisy, but Julie does not know if she recognises her long-lost brother.

"We have no idea where he has been living all this time," Julie said.

"But apart from his eyesight, the vet said he appears to be in good health.

"We just wish he could talk so he could tell us what he has been up to for all these years!"

Julie said that while the family never lost hope of finding Dexter, they had accepted the situation after a while.

"You just hope that he has found a new home, rather than been run over or met some other nasty fate," Julie explained.

"Not long after he disappeared we adopted a tiny kitten who was a stray.

"I hoped Dexter had found someone like me who takes in strays - we are not sure why they didn't get him checked though.

"We assume he has been looked after in someone's house.

"He is well-fed and very sociable and loves cuddles and fusses so he's not gone feral.

"He also can't have been lost for long when he was picked up on Friday because he's blind - he would have no way of scavenging to survive.

"We are so grateful to the couple for finding him and taking him to the vet."