A LAKES woman’s frantic search for her missing cat ended last night after he was found in a local farmer's barn.

Katherine Patterson contacted vets, knocked on people’s doors and handed out leaflets in her bid to find Winston the Great, a Maine Coon tabby.

Katherine, who runs a goose farm with her husband in the Rusland Valley, last saw Winston on Saturday.

She initially feared he’d been stolen because the one-yeasr-old moggy never strayed further than the Pattersons' garden.

“Last night I handed a ‘missing’ leaflet to a man and he said he had seen a ‘big black furry tail’ in his barn a few nights ago,” said Katherine.

“I knew this must have been Winston's tail he was describing and asked the gentleman if we could investigate the barn. I called: ‘Winston!’. And then ‘meaow’ and out he came from under a log pile.

“I can't believe he's home and I'm in shock he went so far from home! But he's back, safe and happy.

“Thank you to everyone who has been so supportive and helpful.”