One-eyed Nelson hits jackpot at 15!

As a kitten he was cruelly thrown into the sea in a sack alongside his littermates. Fortunately, a fisherman plucked the bag from the waves, but only Nelson and one other kitten survived.

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The tough times weren’t over for the courageous cat as he then spent the following years living on the dock in a little cabin.

Despite being watched over by local fishermen, he lost an eye when a gang of thugs threw rocks at him.

Nelson was eventually scared out of his home in 2009 when work started on the new marina and the heavy machinery became too frightening.

He finally hit the jackpot at the age of 15 when Andrea and her husband Dave, heard about his eventful life and gave him a new home.

But Nelson’s woes didn’t stop there – he was diagnosed with an inoperable heart tumour after his adoption, but despite a bleak prognosis he has amazed vets with his zest for life.

He wowed the judges with his amazing story of living over a decade on the docks at Seaham Harbour, County Durham.

Twenty-year-old Nelson was named overall National Cat of The Year, after winning the Most Incredible Story category.

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Andrea said: “We used to visit the harbour and the fisherman would tell us all about his tough life. He had some shelter in the Fisherman’s cabin, but certainly none of the comforts of a home.”

Nelson had to contend with a lot, the threat of dog attacks and gangs that threw rocks at him, which may be how he lost his eye, not to mention the bitterly cold winters.

To do that for 15 years is quite something, and his new family is pleased he now finally has the warm, loving home he deserves.