A FURRY friend from Blackburn who was found inside an empty house at the seaside has been reunited with its owner -- thanks to his eagle-eyed gran.

Tigger the cat was discovered in an empty house in Freckleton Street, Lytham, by estate agent Elliot Ingleby - the brother of Burnley FC director Ray Ingleby.

The hunt for Tigger's owner stretched from Lytham to Blackburn because of the 01254 telephone number on his name tag.

But when the tabby and white cat's life-long owner Nathan Chippendale, 25, was found, it was discovered he lived just a few doors away from where Tigger was found in Clifton Court, Lytham.

Nathan used to live at Bowland House in Lark Hill which brought the search to Blackburn. The 01254 phone number was disconnected but Nathan's grandmother, June Mustard from Accrington, noticed the appeal in Wednesday's Lancashire Evening Telegraph and notified the owner.

Nathan said: "He is such a little tinker and we are so happy to have him home but I can't believe he was in the house behind us all this time. We shouted for him for weeks but he did not respond."

But it is not the first time the foot-loose feline has gone walk about so he has been officially "grounded for two weeks".

The cat has run away from home to a building site and been known to jump from a second floor balcony.

The 16-year-old kitty is said to be well but a little skinny. Linda Davies who helped in the campaign to reunite the pair while housing Tigger said: "I am so glad they have found each other again and I have made Nathan promise to by Tigger a new identity disc."

Nathan is currently working with Millennium Volunteers, Richmond Terrace, Blackburn and hopes to continue as a social service worker with the Blackburn-based Richmond Fellowship helping people with mental health problems.