AN appeal has been launched to reunite a stowaway ferret with its Dutch owner.

The 18-month-old male was discovered in an aircraft hangar at Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group in Cambridge on Sunday.

He was taken to Wood Green Animals Charity’s Godmanchester centre where he was checked over by a vet and scanned for a microchip.

Staff, who nicknamed him Vincent, were surprised to find the chip was registered in the Netherlands but have so far been unsuccessful in tracking down his owner.

It is thought the plucky pet could have boarded a C-130 Hercules aircraft from the town of Eindhoven in the Netherlands and made the hour-long flight to Cambridge.

Head of small animals at Wood Green, Marie Channer said: “We know from Vincent’s veterinary check that he is a well-cared for pet and it is quite likely a family out there are missing him dearly.

“The problem we have is that we don’t know whether Vincent has managed to find his way to the UK on his own or whether his family have in fact moved over with him.

“Vincent is a bright and playful ferret and we hope that by appealing to the public we will be able to reunite him with his family as soon as possible.”

Group support executive at Marshall, Terry Holloway, said: “This is an absolute first for us in the 104-year history of Marshall, to have discovered a ferret in an aircraft hangar.

“However, there are very strict rules about transportation of animals to the United Kingdom and, when we discovered Vincent came from the Netherlands, we

advised that the UK Border Agency should be notified.”

The UK Border Agency confirmed Vincent could be made available for rehoming once his seven-day stray time was up.

He will be cared for at Wood Green until his owner comes forward. If not, he will be rehomed with a new family.