The iconic Black Cat statue that sits on the A428 Black Cat roundabout has been taken down by National Highways.

The agency's construction team were on-hand to remove the statue while a huge programme of work to upgrade the A428 continues.

In a post on Facebook, a spokesperson for National Highways said: "Please don't be alarmed, as the removal of the cat and kittens was performed safely and securely by our construction team so we can continue works on the upgrade.

"The cat is now having a well-earned rest, safe and secure at one of our site offices!"

National Highways have assured commuters that the Black Cat statue will return to the junction once construction is complete:

"In the coming months, we'll be sharing updates on our future plans for the cat and information on how the local community can get involved." 

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The National Highways scheme for the A428 includes a three tier junction at the Black Car Roundabout as well as a new dual carriageway.

There will also be new junctions at Caxton Gibbet and Cambridge Road which will connect the new dual carriageway to the existing A428.