Happy ending to ferrets' tale

HE survived a full week on the Capital's streets after being stolen from his hutch in the back garden.

But thankfully Bud the ferret has now been reunited with his family after being found about 200 yards from his home on Joppa Road.

Bud and his partner Stella, a female ferret, were taken from their hutch in the early hours of last Wednesday, with Stella found almost a mile away on Argyle Crescent later the same day.

But with Bud still missing, Craig Morrison, wife Liza and their three children - Casey, 12, and twins Mac and Millie, eight - were beginning to lose hope that they would get him back.

Casey, Mac and Millie had been searching the streets on their bikes, as well as putting up around 30 posters in Portobello. Mrs Morrison, 42, said: "I was starting to think the worst but I got a call on Wednesday afternoon to say Bud had been found in a garden at the top of Morton Street.

"A kind lady had found him in her back garden, popped him in a cardboard box and fed and watered him, and called us.

"We don't know where he's been - I think he was trying to make his way home. The lady had gone round her neighbours asking about the ferret, and one of them had seen the posters with our phone number on them."

She added: "I was beside myself - I ran up the road and I arrived at the door breathing like Darth Vader. I kissed Bud and cuddled him even though he stunk. He's looking a bit sorry for himself and is all skinny and scabby. He was absolutely starving too so we've been feeding him up."

Mrs Morrison said whoever took the ferrets must have jumped over the 6ft gate into the garden, before unlocking the hutch. She believes Bud and Stella were later dumped.

"When we put him back in the hutch, Stella was beside herself. She was rolling and jumping around, and having a good sniff," she said.

"At night time he was lying in his wee bedding area and Stella was bringing in food, and he was lying eating it. It's so nice to have them back together again."

Stella was rescued by a local resident the day she went missing, just as she was being cornered by a cat, and was taken to Abercorn Veterinary Clinic.

A member of staff at the clinic had spotted one of the many posters that Casey, Mac and Millie had displayed in the area and contacted them.

Mrs Morrison said: "We've had a fantastic response from the public, it's so nice to know there are lots of good people out there.

"We're so pleased Bud's home - we can't stop smiling."