A Christmas cat given just months to live unless he had a life-saving operation has been saved thanks to the generosity of people from around the world.

Marley, named after the character of Jacob Marley from Charles Dickens novel A Christmas Carol, will turn 11 on December 25 but his owners Ian Edwards and Tracey Edwards-Smith, from Broadstairs, feared it might be his last birthday.

The sprightly moggy was diagnosed with bone cancer in his paw two weeks ago and the couple, who live in Callis Court Road, were told unless he had his leg amputated the aggressive disease would quickly spread and he would only live another few months.

"We knew we had to do something, but we were struggling to find the money, especially before Christmas," said Ian, 41.

"I set up a fundraising page and friends from all over the world saw it and donations started coming in.

"People were donating £5 and saying they wished they could donate more, but they don't realise that fiver was his life - they helped save him.

"They are amazing and we can't thank them enough. This is such an expensive time of year, but people still helped us."

Tracey, 39, says it's only thanks to people's generosity that Marley could have the operation, which cost around £700.

"He's doing well now," she added.

"He's cancer-free and recovering. He's not meant to be jumping around but he is - he's quite quick on three legs."

Marley was helped by the Margate PDSA Pet Clinic.

"They were amazing," said Tracey.

"We saw them on the Tuesday and on the Friday he had his operation.

"The cancer was in his paw, in his bone.

"Bone cancer is very rare and very aggressive in cats so if it had spread he wouldn't have lived much longer."

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