Pool holiday for pub cat

A pub cat who disappeared for a week was found safe and well in a pool table.

10:32 20 August 2004

A pub cat who disappeared for a week was found safe and well in a pool table.

Crunchie, a regular at the Pirate Inn in the village of Alverton near Penzance, left his owners bamboozled when he vanished from sight, The Sun newspaper reports.

Paul Hornsby and his wife Erica, who own the pub, even put up missing posters and pulled up the floorboards after hearing what they thought was miaowing.

But they had all but given hope when 60-year-old Mr Hornsby went about his weekly task of emptying the money from the pool table.

After taking out the coin tray Mr Hornsby was greeted by the familiar sight of Crunchie, who had crept into the table the last time it had been emptied.

He was thin and hungry but was soon back to his old self after being released.

"I just couldn't believe it," Mr Hornsby told the newspaper.

"She didn't jump out straight away. But when I turned back to put the coin drawer in, she was sitting there by the table.

"I had to do a double-take. I then realised where she must have been. She looked forlorn and was very thirsty but she is quite fit. After a few hours she was back to her old self.