AN ANIMAL welfare charity is urging food delivery drivers to check their vans before closing the doors after cases where cats have been trapped inside.

Wharfe Valley Cats Protection made their appeal after a cat from Harrogate was seen jumping out of a delivery van in Otley. The owner is still looking for her lost pet.

The case is the latest in a string of incidents where cats have inadvertently been driven away from their home areas - including one animal which was taken from Horsforth to Seacroft.

The charity says the Harrogate cat, Cloud, was seen jumping out of a food delivery van in Otley on the night he went missing.

A spokeswoman said: "The driver says he opened the doors in the St Clair Rd, Cambridge Way area of Otley and saw a grey cat jump out. The owner rushed to Otley asked around and put up posters but sadly no sightings, Cloud could have walked a distance in three days. We have spread the word via our Facebook page and all other local lost and found registers have been alerted."

She added: "Sadly we are hearing about quite a few cats who hitch a lift in food delivery vans, one at the end of last year got into one in Horsforth and was found some weeks later in the Seacroft area of Leeds. So if you see a food delivery van on your street ask the driver to make sure a cat hasn't jumped in before the doors are shut. Also would be great if the drivers double checked before they shut the doors. The smell of fresh fish or meat will be a magnet to any cat, it may even have a snack on the way to the next delivery, so the next customer may find they haven't quite got the order they were expecting."

She said: "Cloud is a neutered male, so cannot be used for breeding, he is also microchipped. A bit wary of strangers, so if anyone sees him please offer food and ring Wharfe Valley Cats Protection on 0845 1947 292 Ext 4 . You can read about Cloud on Cats Protection Wharfe Valley FaceBook page, we will update about any sightings."

She stressed: "He could be anywhere in Otley, could even be trying to get home to Harrogate or even heading anywhere so the more people looking for him the better the chance of finding Cloud."