A young cat that was found in a trash bag in Greece only a few hours old and brought to the Essex has been missing for six weeks and his owner is devestated.

Feta, named after the Greek cheese, went missing on September 30 this year and his owner has started a Facebook group in a desperate attempt to find him.

Following the appeal, Rayleigh resident, Debbie Smerdon, Feta's owner, thought that her beloved cat had been returned to her.

A cat almost identical to Feta was given to Mrs Smerdon after he was discovered in Hockley.

But it turned out to be a case of mistaken identity after Mrs Smerdon checked the cat's microchip and discovered that the feline was not Feta.

Now, Mrs Smerdon is appealing to people living in south Essex to find her much-loved pet.

She said: "We are so sad to have lost him.

"The Greek charity have done so much for him and I am pleased that so many people on Facebook have shown their support and shared my appeal."

Dimopoulou Marsha, who rescued Feta in Greece, also put out a plea on Facebook, saying: "We have to find him.

"I found him in a trash bin two-three hours born and he survived.

"I'm sad and desperate - we must find Feta."