A PET owner distraught after one of her cats went missing has received a menacing phone call demanding a ransom.

Heather Dunn was told by an anonymous male caller that she would have to pay up, or else risk never seeing her pet, 19-year-old Willow, again.

But Mrs Dunn does not believe the caller has the cat - and she has labelled him insensitive.

Willow, one of seven cats owned by Mrs Dunn, went missing from her Bradshaw Brow home a month ago.

She distributed leaflets and posters with her phone number appealing for information, but she was unprepared for the phone call on Monday night.

Mrs Dunn said: "I had a very strange phone call. It began with a man making 'Miaow, miaow' noises. He then said he had the cat and he was holding it to ransom.

"It was an adult male voice. I didn't really believe he had the cat so I asked him to tell me what it looked like. He then said 'No, you tell me what it looks like'.

"He said if I wanted to see the cat alive again I would have to pay a ransom - although he didn't say how much money."

Mother-of-four Mrs Dunn hung up and reported the incident to the police.

Mrs Dunn said: "I just want to know what's happened to Willow. I am just devastated that she has gone missing."

Mrs Dunn adopted Willow when she was a kitten after finding her in a cardboard box in a Halliwell back street.

Anyone who can help can contact Mrs Dunn on 01204 411115.