A STANMORE woman is appealing for help after the disappearance of her polecat.

Tiff Jones, 42, said that her domesticated polecat Stewie went missing the evening of Friday, February 3 from her home on Addison Close.

She says Stewie was last seen near Winchester Prison on Saturday, February 11, but she has not received any reports of sightings since.

Tiff, who runs ferret group Winchester Ferrets UK, said: “He’s so friendly, he’s so domestic. You’re more likely to be bitten by a child than you are him.”

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She continued: “It’s just getting people out, checking their gardens in the evening time, looking for signs that their rubbish bags have been broken into and things like that. Because he’s not used to hunting he will bin dive, he will eat cat food that has been left out, if there’s any hedgehog food he will eat that.

"He’s a carnivore and that’s what he’s looking for, meat-based products.”

Tiff said that her youngest son Toby, 10, is very upset over Stewie’s disappearance, saying: “It’s devastating, he’s broken-hearted. It was his best friend. It was the one thing in the world that understood him, really.”

Hampshire Chronicle: Tiff's son, Toby, with Stewie (credit: Tiff Jones)Tiff's son, Toby, with Stewie (credit: Tiff Jones) (Image: Tiff Jones)Anyone who sees Stewie is asked to call Tiff as soon as they can or attempt to capture him and take him to a vet.

She explained: “If he is in their garden, tempt him with some meat, pick him up, take him to a vet. If you can’t get hold of me or whatever, take him to any of the vets in Winchester, they all know him, they all know he’s mine and they all have my contact numbers.

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“So even if you don’t get hold of me, pick him up, take him to a vet.”

Anyone who has news about Stewie is asked to contact Tiff on 07988 768699.

A reward is being offered by The Cookie Queen at Winchester Market for anyone who helps with reuniting Stewie and Tiff, with a cookie pie worth £30 going to anyone who hands Stewie in to a vet.