A pet cat that went missing 10 years ago has been reunited with his owner...and it's all down to the animal having been microchipped! 

Miko, a 17-year-old red Burmese, was last seen by owner Sue White in August 2002 when she moved from Hutton to Brentwood, Essex.

Ms White, 56, said she had searched for Miko when he ran off into fields near her new home but after a few years had given up hope of ever seeing him again.

He was taken to a vet on January 5 and traced to Ms White because of his microchip.

She said: "I was jumping up and down. I can't believe it." She added that Miko was taken to the vet in Blackmore by a woman who "lives in the middle of nowhere" and had found him on her doorstep.

The vet telephoned Ms White and left a message on her answer machine. She said she initially thought the vet had dialled the wrong number.

"Luckily I didn't delete the message before it finished," she said. "As soon as they said Miko I knew it had to be my cat."

Ms White went to collect him later that day and believes he was well taken care of during his time away.