A STOWAWAY cat which survived a 17-day trip from Israel will be staying in Lancashire.

The moggy made national headlines when he ran out of a container at Orama Mill, Whitworth, last month, having hitched a ride from Haifa - some 2,000 miles away.

Ziggy - named by his rescuers after pop star David Bowie's alter ego Ziggy Stardust because of his one blue and one green eye - then became the subject of an international tug of love.

Girgurim, an animal rescue association in Tel Aviv sent a letter to Lancashire County Council's trading standards thanking them for taking care of Ziggy, but asking for him to be sent back to be re-homed in Israel, where there have been many offers to foster or adopt him.

But animal health and welfare officers at trading standards decided Ziggy should stay in the UK, and this week they officially signed him over to the care of Cats Protection, the national feline welfare charity.

Officer Derek Smith said: "We took advice from the vets on it, and essentially there is not a great advantage to putting Ziggy back on a plane to Israel.

"We know that he will be well looked after here, so why take the chance, even a remote one, of something happening to him on the journey back?

"We've told Girgurim verbally about our decision, and an official letter is on its way over.

"They were quite happy with the decision, as at the end of the day their concern is that Ziggy's looked after."

There is certainly no shortage of people wanting to give the plucky cat a loving home here, including Whitworth County Coun Sean Serridge, who has campaigned from the start to keep Ziggy in the country.

Coun Serridge, who lives in Bacup, said: "I already have a cat who we rescued locally, so I'd be delighted to give Ziggy a new home too."

The cat, who is estimated to be two years old, will be re-homed once he has completed five more months in quarantine at 4 Paws kennels and sanctuary in Preesall, near Blackpool.

Mr Smith added: "It's very unusual for a cat to come through such an experience with 17 days without food.

"He's put all the weight back on and is very well now, and enjoying the pampering!"