Norwich Tesco cat Pumpkin defies 'ban' by lounging on self-service checkouts

A regular feline visitor to a Norwich Tesco has defied his "ban" from the store by lounging on the self-service checkouts.

Ginger tomcat Pumpkin was spotted curled up on a scanner on Sunday, despite the store’s employees continued efforts to keep him outside.

The six-year-old moggy has around 2,000 people who follow his Tesco adventures on Facebook, where pictures of him, usually loitering by the sliding doors, are posted by his fans.

Pumpkin had been a regular in the Thorpe Marriott branch for over a year when management decided to take action in November last year.

They told the BBC: “Although we love the little ginger cat who visits... a food store isn't the best place for a cat to be, so our colleagues gently encourage him to go out when he tries to come in".

But despite their best efforts, shopper Annabel Fields spotted him on the scanner on Sunday and posted a photo of the scene in the Facebook group.

Many celebrated the “rebellious” cat with some saying the store should reverse the ban and instead give him his own name badge.

Another person quipped Pumpkin was an “unexpected item in the bagging area”.