Drivers are being urged to regularly check their cars after a cat was tragically found dead beneath a bonnet 30 miles from home.

Beloved moggie Treacle went missing from his home in Swalecliffe, Whitstable, on Friday night, sparking a huge search effort.

Owner Annie Parkinson had put flyers up around the town and through residents' letterboxes in a bid to find her "darling boy".

But she and her family were left "truly heartbroken" when a vet called on Wednesday to say Treacle had been found dead by a van driver.

"The driver found him under the bonnet when he got to Tenderden where he was working," said Annie. "The vet scanned Treacle and rang me at work yesterday.

"The vet thinks Treacle probably died pretty soon after he first went under the bonnet, and that he’d been there since he’d first went missing.

"It was such a shock to hear he had died that way."

After Treacle failed to return home on Saturday, Annie's friends printed off hundreds of missing posters, and she took to local Facebook residents' groups asking people to look out for him.

"The locals in Swalecliffe have been amazing," she said, "looking out for him when out and about, and calling his name, and coming out with me to look, put up posters, and do letterbox drops. It really showed community spirit."

Treacle had been taken in by the family after he was rescued by Annie's daughter, during her work as a PCSO with Kent Police.

"Treacle was an amazing cat," said Annie. "He had a lovely, happy life with us and our other two cats.

"We went to Tenterden to collect Treacle and we’ve buried him in our garden. He loved our garden, and neighbour’s gardens!

"He was a very curious cat and loved jumping in people’s cars.

"We’ve had so many people commenting on the groups I’ve shared about Treacle on.

"The way he died has really touched people’s hearts. Some people have commented that it has happened to their cats too.

"It has shown how easy it is for cats to climb up under bonnets and possible not be able to get back out again."

Annie says she hopes the tragic incident will raise awareness, and encourage people to tap or check beneath their bonnets before driving away.

Facebook group Missing Cats and Strays in Thanet has also issued a plea to drivers.

An admin member of the group, which has more than 6,000 followers, wrote: "Please please please check your car engines, it's still chilly and cats do and will climb in for warmth.

"Thoughts to Treacle's family. Run free sweet baby."

Read more: All the latest news from Whitstable

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