Firefighters and volunteers rescue kittens from bridge in Leeds

  • The kittens were lowered to safety using a pulley system

Firefighters and animal shelter volunteers were involved in an "unusual" rescue when two "terrified" kittens became trapped under a bridge above a busy dual carriageway.

A member of the public alerted Henry's Haven Cat Rescue to the pair, who were stuck on the bridge above the A6110 ring road at Lower Wortley in Leeds.

Firefighters from Hunslet worked with volunteers from Henry's Haven to carefully trap first one kitten, then the other, bringing them down from the bridge via a pulley system.

Writing on Facebook Henry's Haven, an independent rescue group serving West and South Yorkshire, said: "The fire brigade has been absolutely amazing... Not all heroes wear capes."

It is not known how the kittens became stuck. Credit: Henry's Haven/Facebook

Debbie Newsome, who founded Henry's Haven nearly five years ago and now coordinates a team of 70 volunteers, said the kittens were enticed into cat traps, which were baited with food and then secured to the bridge.

Debbie said: "The firefighters got one, and then the other one was caught at about 2am.

"We've now got them both. They are very tired, and absolutely terrified. We're letting them calm down from their ordeal.

"We've no idea how they got there - it's probably the most unusual rescue that we've had. They had nowhere to go."

The kittens - one black, the other black and white - are about three months old and believed to be siblings. Debbie and her team are now looking for names.

One of the rescued kittens. Credit: Henry's Haven Cat Rescue/Facebook

She said: "We think we have a boy and a girl. Very difficult [to know for sure] as both are terrified. And we have named them Samsper and Shellcott, which is a mix of all the firefighters' names."

There was a warm response on social media for the group's efforts.

Colleen Lister-Heeley said: "Poor little fur babies but thank goodness Henry's Haven and the Fire Services are helping them to safety."

A J Jones wrote: "Lots of milk & cuddles for them."

The rescuers brought one of the kittens down in a cage. Credit: Henry's Haven/Facebook

Donna Ladle wrote: "Awww little babies, thank the lord for you guys and the emergency services."

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service are experts at looking out for cats stuck up trees, on bridge parapets, or down chimneys.

Just last month fire crews from Odsal were called to rescue a cat on the roof of a house in Wibsey. When they arrived the animal leapt down a chimney pot and into a sealed chimney stack

Firefighters made a hole near the chimney's base to get the cat out safely.

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