Fears that a renegade Balham resident is trapping animals have increased after a cat went missing for two days and then returned with a wire noose wrapped around its neck.

Jennie Priestley, 53, from Ryde Vale Road, Balham, contacted the Wandsworth Guardian after her daughter's cat Rum went missing on Tuesday morning.

It was the second time Rum had gone missing in a week and his owner was naturally "very concerned".

The two-year-old had disappeared days before but, to Mrs Priestley's relief, turned up looking a little dishevelled a day later.

But on closer inspection, and to her horror, the Balham resident found a ten-inch length of wire tightly wrapped about his neck.

Fortunately, and to further relief, Rum again turned up albeit minus the wire noose this time.

Mrs Priestley said: "It was clearly a noose, it was self-tightening and could only have been used for that purpose.

"I assume it was for catching foxes or other wild animals but regardless it is a completely outrageous thing to do.

"Rum doesn't travel far from the house and we are convinced it is happening fairly nearby because he stays pretty close, maybe a half-mile radius.

"It's really worrying because we have lots of other cats, I mean who would do this?

"A neighbour speculated that someone might actually be trying to keep the cat themselves because his name tag and bell had been removed yet the collar was left on."

Sergeant Kirsty Payne confirmed the incident had been reported to Wandsworth Police.

She said: "The victim has informed us about what happened and we will be visiting her in due course.

"We are not currently not aware of any other issues of this type in the area."

The RSPCA have also been informed and will be keeping their eyes peeled for similar incidents.

A spokesman for the RSPCA said: "It is illegal to set certain types of traps and to set any trap where it can cause indiscriminate suffering to wildlife and pets.

"Traps can cause terrible suffering, not only to pets but to wild animals, who cannot crawl home to owners, but die in agony."

If anyone has information about illegal traps they can report it to the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999.

Have you spotted anything similar to the noose in the photograph?