A white moggy called Theo, who pawed and sat on his owner all night to stop her falling asleep after she developed a blood clot, was crowned British Cat of the Year on Thursday.

Theo, who died a few days ago, beat hundreds of other champion felines to take the top honour at the annual awards ceremony, held at London's Savoy Hotel, where his owner Charlotte Dixon collected the prize.

"The paramedic said he thought I had a blood clot and it was a good thing I hadn’t slept, as I probably wouldn’t have woken up again," said Dixon, who had nursed Theo back to health from serious illness as a kitten.

Other prize winners included black and white cat Arthur, who helped his owner overcome mental health issues and two-year-old Toby, who alerts his owner to the onset of a debilitating seizure.