"This cat was an unwitting adventurer"

Why did we nickname this cat Phileas Mogg?

Because he's an adventurer - albeit an unwitting one.

He travelled across two countries (England and Wales), went 250 miles and even through a car wash - all in the engine bay of a car. At the end of it he was hungry and his paws were a little burnt, but he was otherwise fine.

The driver of the car in which Phileas was found is Colin Woodward, who lives near Crewe. He heard a miaowing from under his car so before driving he checked under the vehicle and in the engine using a torch. But the mewing had stopped and he assumed the cat had gone.

He set off on a cross-country trek that took him to Sandbach, Wettenhall, Wrexham and Cheltenham. Three days later Mr. Woodward parked at his friend's house near Bristol. He heard the mewing again and found the cat in the engine compartment.

Mr. Woodward said that he found him between the front wheel and the headlight.

He felt very sorry for him and left the bonnet open overnight to see if he would come out but when he didn't he called the AA and RSPCA for help.

When I arrived at the scene, I took the front wheel off and removed the wheel arch panel of the car so the RSPCA inspector could reach in and rescue the stowaway. You could tell he'd been in there for a while as there were telltale signs - and smells!

It's a happy story because he survived such a long journey but I hope that we are able to find his owners, as he is such a big, friendly, cuddly cat.

AA Patrol Mark Nolan from Bristol