Police in Putney got more than they bargained for when they came to work on Wednesday morning.

Animal control requested their help after they were contacted about an unusual sighting in Roehampton.

A passer-by had seen a cat in the window that looked a little different from your average moggy.

"When officers called at the address in question with animal control in tow, they found themselves face to face with Xena the Serval," Wandsworth Police said.

"More commonly found on the African savannah than in urban Roehampton, this wildcat has been referred to as ‘the cat of spare parts’ due to its unusually large ears and legs.

"However, they have 29 muscles in those ears, which help them detect sounds of rodents scurrying underground.

"Their long legs help them leap about 1.5m into the air, a distinctive hunting method which enables them to pounce on their prey with great accuracy."

Police believe that Xena is about about one year old and was possibly smuggled into the country illegally from abroad.

This wildcat princess was safely seized from the home and taken to a secure holding centre, where she will medically examined before starting her new life in a specialist wildlife facility in the UK.