'Small leopard' on loose in Surrey

African wildcat serval on the loose in Surrey

A man has spotted an African wildcat on the loose in his garden in Surrey.

Allan Tinkler, of Molesey, was enjoying his breakfast on Friday morning when he saw the African wildcat - called a serval - prowling on the lawn.

He told Get Surrey:"[ I was] having breakfast with my two young children, looked out the window and there it was.

"[It] stayed in the garden for about 40 minutes."

Its markings are similar to that of a leopard, but this particular animal was not thought to be aggressive.

While looking for the animal, Elmbridge Police tweeted: "The cat is NOT believed to be dangerous and looks a bit like a small leopard."

The search continues for the African Serval Cat in #WestMolesey. Please phone 999 if you see him quoting P14215109. pic.twitter.com/DAXXdiRsAe
- Elmbridge Police (@ElmbridgeBeat) July 25, 2014

A police spokesman told the Daily Mail: "At around 9am today we received a report that a serval cat was on the loose.

"The pet cat had escaped from an address in Anne Way, West Molesey.

"The animal is registered as a dangerous cat although it is not believed to be aggressive."

The cat reportedly escaped while its owners were on holiday. They had asked a cat sitter to look after it while they were away.

A police helicopter and the RSPCA has joined the hunt when the cat was reported missing.

Elmbridge Police tweeted the news when the serval was found, writing: "Great news!! The missing serval from West Molesey has been reunited with their owner - thank you to all who helped with the search."

It is thought the owner will not face charges over the incident.