A ONE-EYED cat has been helicoptered to Aberdeen after being discovered hidden in a storage container on a North Sea oil platform.

The black cat – nicknamed “one-eyed Joe” and also known as “Cyclops” – appeared to have been shipped from Peterhead to the platform, where workers fed the surprise guest chicken from their canteen.

Workers filled out a safety card after discovering the animal, noting that staff had “ran away frightened” after he popped out of the container. Despite the initial surprise, staff on the platform said he was “spoiled rotten” during his time there.

Following the discovery on Thursday, the crew called in the Scottish SPCA. The charity arranged for him to be helicoptered back to Aberdeen the following day.

Joe was then found to be a regular visitor to HMP Grampian, where he is fed by prison staff. Local residents said Joe chooses to sleep at the prison, where staff “fuss over” him and he is “much-loved”.

Publicity for the sneaky cat led to him being identified a Dexter, a pet cat which went missing five years ago.

Aimee Findlay, a Scottish SPCA animal rescue officer, said: "We were alerted to an incident of a cat being found in a shipping container offshore.

"We've no idea how the cat ended up there, but attended the heliport to collect him."

It is now hoped that the cat will be reunited with his original owner.