A family cat from Pembrokeshire nearly used up all nine lives after she snuck into a delivery van - and ended up in a lorry depot 240 miles and six hours from home.

Alan Vickery, 58, noticed one of his cats, Bella, was missing after she didn't come home for her dinner last Monday, November 8. 

Bella would rarely leave their house in Tenby so Alan and wife Katrina, 52, grew concerned.

They had a new bed frame delivered by a logistics company, D4U, that evening - and feared Bella might have snuck into the van to explore.

The following morning, staff checked the van after it got back to the depot -  in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire.

They found Bella nestled on the spare tyre - prompting relieved Alan and Katrina to drive six hours to collect the adventurous moggie.

Bella is now safe at home after her unexpected road trip.Bella is now safe at home after her unexpected road trip. (Image: SWNS) Now safely back at home, Bella is thrilled to be reunited with sister Rio, and her owners - who are keeping a closer eye on her now.

Retiree Alan said: "When Bella didn't show up for dinner at 6pm, an hour after the bed had been delivered, we got worried.

"I know how nosy she is and how much she likes to explore - so we eventually figured she snuck into the van.

"When D4U couldn't find her at first, we thought we'd never see her again.

"So when we got the call that they had found her, we were crying our eyes out with relief!

"She's home now - I think she's used a few of her nine lives.

"And probably knocked a few off ours too from the stress!"

Alan Vickery"We were crying our eyes out with relief," said Alan Vickery when Bella was found. (Image: SWNS) Alan and Katrina contacted D4U asking if they could have a hunt around the van.

Staff at the depot said Bella was nowhere to be seen when the van got back that evening.

But Sumayya Vhora, 36, a customer service specialist, couldn't get the thought out of her mind when she got back to the depot the next morning.

Then a staff member, Greg, revealed Bella napping on a concealed spare tyre in the back of the van.

She said: "I let Alan and Katrina know the good news straight away.

"I rushed straight to the supermarket to get cat food for Bella, then went to pick up my children from school and brought them back to play with her until Alan and Katrina arrived.

"When they got there, I had to give them a big hug! They were so relieved, it was such a happy moment.

"My kids were a bit upset, actually - they wanted to keep her!"

Alan added: "We can't thank D4U enough - they were so nice and so kind to Bella!

"We couldn't believe it when they found her."