Pet detectives were called to Enfield on Wednesday to search for a missing cat.

The search team, led by former police officer Tom Watkins, dressed in high-vis jackets and carried walkie-talkies, rescue traps, torches and patrol cars to help reunite Millie the cat with her owner, Stephanie Hutchings.

Mr Watkins, who is allergic to cats, spent the day searching in houses, gardens and garages of people living in Lavender Hill for the tabby cat, which was last seen on January 27.

The search team were unable to trace Millie, but she was later found under a pile of clothes in Mrs Hutching’s house, unfortunately after dying from natural causes.

Mr Watkins said: "Never give up, that’s our motto. We will do anything necessary to find that cat, whether it means searching in 30 garages, people’s houses, fields or derelict buildings."

Mr Watkins, who left his position in the police force to start the pet-finding company 12 years ago, said: "I heard an appeal on the radio for a lost dog and thought there has to be an opportunity to find these pets.

"The job combines my investigation experience with the police with my love of animals."

Mr Watkins, who has a dog and two degus, said the company has a 65 per cent success rate of finding missing animals through services including a free lost and found website, posters, and Crimewatch style reconstruction videos.

He said people use the free telephone service to contact the company after injuring or killing an animal on the road.

He said: "It’s like Crimewatch – crimes get solved when people can call anonymously."

The company, Animal Search UK, reunites up to 30 missing pets each day and has 20,000 missing pets listed on its website.