A LUCKY cat which was saved from drowning after falling from a tree into a canal has been returned to his owner.

The black-and-white cat, nicknamed Puddles by his saviour, was found swimming for his life in the Leeds and Liverpool Canal in Feniscowles on Sunday.

He was rescued by Susan Hartley, 45, of Longdale Road, who took him home and cared for him.

The day after Puddles' dramatic rescue featured in the Evening Telegraph, he was reunited with his owner.

Rachel Hodson, 26, of St Martin's Drive, Feniscowles, said: "My mother saw the news in the paper and alerted us.

"We had been looking in the lost and found section for the past week but we didn't expect that he'd caused so much trouble.

"The canal can be accessed through our back garden so we were worried that he might have gone in there. We searched but found nothing."

Puddles, whose real name is Zenny, is the pride and joy of Rachel's three sons, Leighton, nine, Elliott, four, and Rylan, three.

Rachel's brother, Philip, who lives in Manxman Road, Blackburn, adopted Zenny just over a month ago when the stray wandered into his back garden.

She said: "Zenny's our first family pet and the kids adore him. They are all so glad to have him back.

"We've already been to the vet and bought him a new basket and some treats and we'll be taking him to the vet this week for a full check-up.

"I would like to thank Mrs Hartley for taking such good care of Zenny.

"If it wasn't for her we wouldn't have our family pet back."