A MUCH-LOVED hotel cat who proved a big attraction at wedding ceremonies has finally been replaced.

Sid, the black cat who lost his life on the busy A173 earlier this year, used to turn up unannounced whenever there was a wedding at 17th Century Pinchinthorpe Hall Hotel, near Guisborough, east Cleveland - and cross the happy couple's path on cue.

Couples even started to insist that Sid, who adopted the former manor house as his home, appear on their wedding photographs.

The expert mouse catcher has been replaced by Rio and Clio. Like Sid, they are allowed to wander the hotel grounds.

Nobody is taking bets on the eight-month-old cats exceeding Sid's record attendance at 40 weddings.

A spokeswoman for hotel owner George Tinsley said: "One of the cats was in the other day when we were preparing for a wedding, but we are not going to say they will be on every wedding photograph. But they are going to be around here, somewhere in the grounds.''

The kittens come from Redcar from the same litter.

The spokeswoman said: "We are very happy with them and they have settled in lovely.''

Sid sometimes lived in the summer house, sometimes curled up on a warm spot in the garden. He had a little hole cut for him underneath one of the sheds, but also liked to nap in the wood store, and in the greenhouse.