A woman is suing Virgin after claiming the company's engineers' lost her rare breed cat.

Fuzzy-Bear, a Selkirk Rex breed, disappeared after the media company installed a phone line at a home in Station Road, Portslade.

Georgina Anderson, 24, claims the engineers left the front gate open at her home and Fuzzy-Bear hasn't been seen since.

"We kept telling them please, please, shut the gate as we have three cats, but they lost the padlock and left it open," Ms Anderson said.

The media company left a voicemail on Ms Andersen's phone saying they'd replace the lock that evening or the next day.

"It took two weeks for them to replace it," said Ms Andersen.

Fuzzy-Bear went missing within two day's of the company's visit.

Ms Andersen used the government's Money Claim Online website to file a claim against Virgin Media on Monday for £388.75 the cost of the rare breed, its castration and upkeep.

"They left my premises unsecure and unlocked," said Ms Andersen.

"That's not acceptable.

"He's an expensive and unusual cat. It wouldn't surprise me if someone had taken him."

Ms Andersen and her fiance James Sims, 28 sent letters to 76 vets in East Sussex asking them to keep an eye out for the ginger-haired Selkirk Rex, a breed that is often described as: "the cat in sheep's clothing."

Virgin Media have reimbursed the couple £30 for postage.

"We made a last-ditch attempt to find Fuzzy-Bear at the weekend," said Ms Andersen.

"We put up posters on every street lamp and every bus shelter."

The couple also put leaflets through doors in Hove and Portslade.

A spokesperson from Virgin Media said: "I wish to highlight that our engineers carried out work on 1 February 2008 and the cat went missing some three days later.

"We were sorry to hear that the cat had gone missing. As soon as we were notified our installation manager in the area passed this message, along with a photograph of the cat, to all our engineers working in the area. We also replaced the padlock as a gesture of goodwill - although our engineers could not recall seeing a padlock when they used the gate.

"At no time did our engineers enter the home as all their work was carried out externally. Our engineers also confirmed to us that Mr Sims was the last person to leave the property after their work was completed on 1 February.

"As we have already communicated to Mr Sims, we cannot be held responsible for his cat escaping from his premises. Regardless of the padlock he claims was missing, cats can easily scale walls to escape. We hope the cat returns safely to its owners soon."

No one has found the cat, despite the couple also posting photos of the kitten to the websites Facebook and www.LostCatsBrighton.co.uk.

"I just want my baby back," said Ms Andersen, who can be contacted on 07709 794 635 with news of her cat.

Have you seen Fuzzy-Bear or had problems with Virgin Media? Tell us your story at TheArgus.co.uk/news