Slow news day? Cat up a tree saved in daring rescue from 60ft conifer in high winds

  • ITV News Anglia's Stuart Leithes went along to do his first ever story about a cat stuck up a tree.

A cat stuck up a tree sounds like a routine story you might find hidden somewhere near the middle of your local paper.

But when Princess got stranded at the top of a 60ft conifer in Wisbech in Cambridgeshire it was far from the usual mundane drama.

The pet had been marooned at the top in high winds for nearly two days and fire fighters had been unable to help because they could not get near enough to reach her with their ladders.

In fact, the sight of the fire crews just made one-year-old Princess climb even higher up the tree.

Tree surgeon Seth Masters was summoned from a shopping expedition in Norwich to rescue Princess from the tree.

Mr Masters, from Iceni Tree Care, had to shin up the tree using ropes and get the cat in a bag.

Seth Masters with Sonia and Princess the cat Credit: RSPCA

Justin Stubbs, from the RSPCA, said: “Seth was only too happy to come and help and he climbed the swaying tree.

"The top of the tree was swaying at least eight feet back and forth when he was up there."

The RSPCA described the rescue as "very high and technical".

Princess was at the top of a 60ft conifer tree in a neighbour's garden in Wisbech. Credit: ITV News Anglia

Owner Sonia Wilkinson said: “I am really grateful Seth was able to come and help at such short notice as he was Christmas shopping in Norwich at the time.

“Princess is one of my four cats; I heard a commotion and three of them flew into the house, but not Princess who must have been scared by something.

"I then heard her miaowing in my neighbour’s garden and realised she’d gone up the tree.”

Mr Masters said: “I was only too happy to help the RSPCA and Princess’s owner. This tree was way too high to use ladders safely in the conditions, but I was able to climb up using a rope and harness. Princess was stuck on a branch - I don’t think she could have got any higher.”

The RSPCA does advise owners to allow cats enough time to come down from trees on their own first and to try tempting them by placing food and smelly treats on the ground.

But if a cat is stuck up a tree for more than 24 hours, the weather conditions are particularly bad or if the cat is injured or very young, then owners can call 0300 1234 999.

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