GAZETTE reporter Joanne Moore is more used to covering other people's stories rather than making the news herself but next week the story of how her cat Korky was saved after a road accident will feature on TV's Supervet show.

She and her family were devastated when young grey tabby Korky was run over outside their house in Green Lane, Devizes on a Saturday afternoon before Christmas.

But thanks to the work of bionic vet Noel Fitzpatrick of Fitzpatrick Referrals the eighteen-month-old cat is back prowling the back gardens of Devizes after Prof Fitzpatrick inserted a metal plate in his pelvis. He had to have his tail amputated but four months after the accident the cat is back to full health and fitness.

His story will be told as part of the Channel 4 show to be aired at 8pm on Wednesday. (21)

Mrs Moore said: "I found Korky on the patio just with a fixed stare on his face. I called him but he didn't move. I went out to him and realised he was in a bad way as he screamed when I picked him up.

"I knew immediately he must have been hit by a car as he couldn't move his back legs."

In tears she rang her husband Ron, who was in London for a football match, and asked him to ring the surgery at Estcourt Vets in Devizes.

With the help of her daughter Francesca she managed to get Korky to the vets but she could tell by the look on the faces of the vet and nurse it was not looking good for her beloved cat.

She said: "They said they would sedate him and give him pain relief and see if he could make it through the night.

"When I got home I was just numb but I suddenly thought if anyone can save him then the Supervet could."

Korky survived the night and Estcourt Vets agreed to refer Korky to Fitzpatricks in Surrey.

Mrs Moore said: "We were told on the phone that they would be filming but all I cared about was Korky getting better. As soon as Noel called us in to his room I felt there was hope."

Prof Fitzpatrick operated that evening and rang in person to say Korky was doing well. But there was several days of worry as he could not be sure Korky's bladder had recovered from nerve damage until he urinated.

Mrs Moore said: "When one of the nurses rang and said he had had a wee you would have thought I had won the lottery."

After eight weeks in a giant dog crate to stop him jumping Korky returned for an x-ray and Prof Fitzpatrick declared him fit.