PETLINE organiser Chris Butterworth has issued a plea on behalf of a local couple who came within a whisker of being re-united with their lost cat.

Olly went missing from a local cattery last July and the owner's misery was compounded recently when the animal slipped from her grasp outside Altrincham General Hospital.

Chris is appealing to anyone from the Groby Road area of the town who has been feeding their missing moggy to come forward.

She describes him as a black, neutered male cat with white paws, whiskers and a dot on his nose. He could still be wearing his collar.

The owners are, to put it mildly, very distressed.

"For him to be missing all this time and to see him and lose him again has made them very upset. They're quite anxious, now they've seen him, to get him back," she says.

If you can help, call John or Carolyn Dale on 928 2260 or Carolyn on 928 6111.

On a happier note, ten dogs and three cats have been re-united with their relieved owners.

Lost

* COCO: 12 week old black and tan Yorkshire terrier type female puppy. Went missing in the Shenton Park Avenue area of Sale on May 26. Call 976 5539.

* NELLIE: 12 year old, brown tortoise shell female cat with one glazed eye. Went missing in the Chay Lane area of Sale on May 22. Call 962 7919.

* VINNIE: ginger and white neutered male cat wearing a blue and silver reflective collar. Went missing in the Sherbrook Close area of Sale on May 27. Call 973 7418.

* TOD: black neutered male cat white paws, throat and lower jaw, wearing a purple collar. Went missing in Urmston on May 27. New to the area. Call 789 8087.

* BEENIE: greyish black, long haired, lurcher type male dog with a white beard. Went missing in the Carrington area of Sale on May 28. Call 777 6422.

* TIGER: ginger, neutered male cat with white chest and paws, wearing a blue/silver reflective collar. Went missing in Timperley on May 12. Call 904 0950.

* TILLY: 13 week old, fluffy, female Tabby kitten with white bib and paws. Went missing in Bowdon on June 3. Call 928 6700.

* DAISY: timid, 13 year old black female cat with a green collar. Went missing outside the vets on Higher Road, Urmston, on May 5. New to the area. Call 747 4479.

* SMUDGE: ginger and black mingled male rabbit. Went missing in the Old Hall Road area of Sale Moor on June 3. Call 969 0203.

Found

* COCKATEIL found in Timperley on May 31. Call 718 1084.

* YOUNG black and white cat found on the Broomwood Estate in Timperley on June 3. Call 775 2221 or 973 6766.

Using Petline

IF YOU want to put a pet on the register or have any news about animals but do not want to speak directly to the owners, call Chris on 902 0483 between 9am and 9pm. If she is not around, keep trying.

If you would like a picture of a lost pet to accompany a written appeal, send it to Rick Bowen, SAM, 25 Ashton Lane, Sale, M33 6TP - but speak to Chris at Petline first.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.