A pensioner who wandered away from his Faversham care home was eventually found – more than 200 miles away in Cardiff.

Alfred Cole, 80, who uses a walking stick, went missing from Mill House care home in Salters Lane on Sunday morning.

He was found a day later after catching a train and coach to the Welsh capital.

Carers alerted police that Mr Cole had been last seen at 11.30am on Sunday morning.

Urgent appeals were then sent out to find the Mill House resident.

Despite police appeals believing he could be “anywhere in Kent” Mr Cole was found by a member of the public in Cardiff.

Niranjan Francis, who has owned the care home for the last 12 years, said: “Within half an hour we noticed he had gone missing and we called the police.

“We received a call from the police explaining he had been found in Cardiff.

“As soon as I heard he was in Cardiff I caught the train and went to collect him and he told me he had climbed over a wall.

“I still cannot believe he got over the wall.”

It is understood Mr Cole lived in Cardiff as a child and he had wanted to go back to his childhood home.

Mr Francis added: “A member of the public took him to the police station and they took him to the hospital.

“We have since met with the Care Quality Commission and his family and we are looking into ways this can be prevented in the future.

“He was so happy to see me when I collected him. He gave me a big hug.”

Alison Berridge, a Care Quality Commission (CQC) spokesman, said: “CQC has been made aware that a resident has recently returned to Mill House after going missing from the home.

“CQC will continue to monitor the home very closely and consider what action may be appropriate to make sure people living there are safe.”

The home cares for people with dementia.