A WHITE cat found near junction 23 of the M4 on New Year's Day is among the festive season strays being handled by a Newport veterinary practice.

The cat, a female believed to be around five years old, was spotted and picked up by a motorist, and handed in to the Summerhill practice in Maindee.

She was on land close to the motorway where junction 23 branches off towards the Severn Bridge and the M48.

She has no identification tags however, and unusually is entirely white, with no other marks that might make recognition any easier.

"She has a condition like a type of sunburn that affects the tips of the ears and is problem experienced by a lot of white cats, but that is it," said veterinary nurse Sarah Burns.

"But she's a very friendly animal and someone must be missing her."

The practice, like others, has been busy dealing with regular calls and looking after strays brought in during the Christmas and New Year periods, including a female kitten now being treated in isolation for influenza.