An eight-week-old kitten was rescued by firefighters after being trapped inside a bathroom wall. Red Watch firefighters at Wallsend Community Fire Station, part of the Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, were dispatched to the emergency call in North Shields.
The control role received the call from the resident in distress at 03:16 in the early hours of Friday morning. A device was sent to the North Tyneside flat, where the crew helped rescue the missing moggy.
“The firefighters were great. I immediately felt reassured when they explained the rescue plan to me,” said Danielle Douglas.
READ MORE: Police launch investigation after 63-year-old woman was raped at Rising Sun Country Park in Wallsend
Danielle, 22, works as a carer and has lived in the North East for more than a decade after moving to the Wigan area of Greater Manchester.
Danielle had become the proud recipient of the adorable bundle of stuffed animals just six hours before the bathroom drama. She explained that before the commotion unfolded, she prepared the kitten’s sleeping area for her new roommate to move into.
“One minute I was watching him curled up asleep on the floor, the next he was gone into thin air!” said Danielle.
(Photo: Danielle Douglas)
Danielle searched the guest bedroom and bathroom leaving behind treats and catnip to lure the adventurous kitten out of hiding.
She continued: “I had the idea of searching the internet for mummy cat purring noises that I could play around the apartment. It worked when the kitten responded to the cat’s calling sounds.
“The resulting meow came from behind the bathroom wall. I was beside myself with worry as I thought the kitten would be petrified as he was just getting used to his new surroundings.
(Photo: Danielle Douglas)
The little kitten had managed to crawl through a gap between the ceramic tiles and the plumbing in the toilet before setting off on a journey between the hollow wall.
After an hour of unsuccessfully trying to retrieve her new pet, Danielle decided to call for help and called the fire department.
Upon arrival, firefighters located the kitten behind drywall after removing a small number of tiles and the tub panels.
The kitten, now called Tubs, after her bathroom adventures was rescued by cat-loving firefighter Paul Simpson.
(Photo: Danielle Douglas)
Station manager Martin Farrow of the Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service said:
“Throughout the work week, our firefighters are assigned to a variety of different jobs in the community. There is never a day that is the same. This rescue of Tubs the kitten is a perfect example of how our crews use their training and judgment to assess the situation and resolve the issue with this particular incident having a happy ending. It was nice to see pictures of Tubs and Danielle reunited peacefully.
The final words come from Danielle who said: ‘The firefighters were very kind to Tubs and made sure we were both okay before they left. They even checked my smoke detectors safely on the way out!”
The Red Watch team at the Wallsend Community Fire Station left Danielle and Tubs in North Shields at 3.31am on Friday morning.
For more information on the work of the Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service please visit www.twfire.gov.uk
For the latest local news in your area straight to your inbox every day, go here to sign up for our free newsletter