Jo Brand's Cats and Kittens: Incredible rescue of tabby who scrambled up FIREPLACE
INTREPID animal hero Matt Brown was left looking like a chimney sweep after one of the most hilarious cat rescues ever filmed.
These heart-warming scenes show how the RSPCA animal welfare officer got covered in head to foot in soot trying to pull a timid tabby to safety after it scrambled up a fireplace.
The cameras rolled as Mr Brown dashed to help Lola the stricken cat that had spent a terrifying four days trapped inside the dark and dirty flue.
En route, Mr Brown puts the mockers on the rescue mission, confessing: “I’ve never had a cat up a chimney before. It’s going to be interesting.
"I cannot see it being terribly awkward but then that’s my famous last words…”
By the time I got her out, I was completely covered in soot, but getting her safely freed was worth a dirty uniform
Four hours later, Mr Brown was working with a fire and rescue team to get Lola down from her perch. It took a water jet and some clever handling to finally pull the wet and bedraggled moggie to safety.
Mr Brown's mission features in tonight’s first episode of Channel 5’s new show Jo Brand’s Cats and Kittens.
As this clip shows, after being pulled to safety and being given a check-over, lucky Lola was returned to her delighted owner.
Speaking about the operation, Mr Brown said: “Lola had been trapped up there for four days.
"Her owner initially thought she had gone missing, but it wasn’t until she heard her crying that she realised she was inside the chimney.
“Along with Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service, we had to devise a plan to get her free, so at first we climbed up on the roof and were poking rods down to see if it would help her get down.
“When they didn’t work, we took the fireplace off and, using long poles, managed to free her. It took some time but it was definitely a worthy job. We were all so pleased to have her free.”
With his face and hair caked in soot, Mr Brown could only smile at the way he had tempted fate by saying the rescue would not be difficult.
He said: “By the time I got her out, I was completely covered in soot, but getting her safely freed was worth a dirty uniform."
The new Channel 5 show for feline lovers follows its highly popular Dog Rescuers series which focused on the RSPCA’s daily challenges to save man’s best friend.
Presenter Jo Brand says: "I’m a self-confessed feline fanatic and this series goes behind the scenes and follows the RSPCA inspectors, vets and volunteers who work tirelessly to save the nation’s cats from harm.
“From four-storey falls, to cats stuck up chimneys the RSPCA have their work cut out rescuing Britain’s moggies from danger and we follow them every step of the way.”
Channel 5’s Jo Brand's Cats and Kittens being shown tonight (November 14) at 8pm.