A missing cat which was trapped under the floorboards of a house for three weeks is believed to have survived by drinking French lager and eating bugs.
Ben Smith, 83, believed his inquisitive pet cat Leia vanished after sneaking under a neighbour's open floor during renovation work without anyone realising in Deal, Kent.
After the 11-year-old cat vanished, the family put up posters in a desperate bid to find the missing moggy. They even paid £1,000 for a pet detective to help trace the cat.
But when neighbours heard Leia's cries they cut a hole in the floorboards - and the cat was immediately found, next to an open can of French lager, having survived for 23 days.
Mr Smith's daughter Kelly Cooper said: 'A half-drunk tin of beer was found and we wondered if she'd had a few sips from that.
