A CAT used up one of its nine lives when it was stranded in a tree for three days.

Mosy, a black cat, had to be rescued by firefighters after he climbed 30 metres up a tree in Heath Road, Lexden.

Owner Phillip Evans, of Christine Chase, Colchester, had almost given up hope of his cat coming home when he heard Mosy crying from a nearby pine tree.

He tried to coax his pet down, but the frightened cat refused to budge.

Mr Evans then contacted the fire service, who tried to flush Mosy down with water.

But the cat climbed even higher and firefighters were forced to call in an aerial ladder to pluck the cat from the branches.

Mr Evans, 56, semi-retired, said: “The fire crews tried to give him two jet hoses for five minutes to get him down but he hung on and climbed even higher.

“They said he must have claws of steel.

“When they eventually got him down, he was shaking and petrified but thankfully he has made a full recovery.

“I’m more than happy to have him back.

“He is lucky to have survived.”

Scott Morrow, a spokesman for Essex Fire Service, said: “This proves that cats really do have nine lives!”