Charlie returns to his adoring public in Rustington

Charlie vanished from his home in The Bramblings in June, but it wasn’t just his family who missed him – the black-and-white moggie was adored by customers of shops in the centre of the village where he spent much of his time.

His owner, Martin Cornish, put up signs around the village seeking help in tracing Charlie, but there was no response until, out of the blue, he turned up last week in the Norfolk Road area of Littlehampton.

The woman who found Charlie rang Martin, and they were soon reunited.

“I was gobsmacked when I took the phone call,” said a relieved and delighted Martin. “I just couldn’t believe it – I really thought we had seen the last of him.”

This wasn’t the first time Charlie had gone missing, but it was by far the longest time he had strayed from home.

The family’s garden backs onto the car park for the Co-op supermarket and on more than one occasion Charlie has been known to hop into people’s cars while they have been loading their shopping, and hitched a ride with them.

“Someone rang me once to say they had opened their boot to take the shopping out, and found Charlie inside!” said Martin.

On another occasion, someone called Martin to say they had seen Charlie travelling on the roof of a van, sitting among ladders strapped to the roof.”

Since returning home, however, Charlie has settled for a quieter life, mostly staying indoors, although this week he started to venture further afield again, making his way to the All Seasons shop in Ash Lane, to enjoy the strokes of his adoring public.

“We would just like to thank everyone for all the concern they showed while he was missing. He has even received a “welcome home” card from someone,” said Martin.