A supermarket has taken notice of cat-lovers’ concerns, and started a campaign to tackle the spate of missing moggies.

CatWatch, launched by the East of England Co-op, and supported by the Ipswich Star and Ipswich Borough Council, offers help to cat-owners who are trying to trace their missing pets.

Members of the public will be able to phone a 24-hour hotline, or email to report a missing cat - details are also being publicised by community group Ipswich Missing Cats.

A picture of the missing cat will then be put up in the nearest Co-op store, along with details about the car, and members of the public will be urged to to share any sightings. The campaign has been launched after nearly 200 cats have been reported missing in the Ipswich area alone in recent months.

Speaking at the launch of the CatWatch at the Co-op store inm, Hines Road, Ipswich, executive officer of retail for the East of England Co-op, Roger Grosvenor said: “The CatWatch initiative has been developed in response to our concern about the spate of missing cats in the Ipswich area.

“Our stores are in the heart of communities, so they’re an ideal place to share photos of cats that have gone missing. We hope that together we’ll be able to help more families be reunited with their pets.”

A council spokesman added: “It recognises how much a pet is part of a family and if this helps reunite cat and owner it can only be considered a positive move.”

Call 01473 786169 or email catwatch@eastofenglandcoop to report a missing pet.