FIREFIGHTERS were called to rescue a cat which got stuck after going missing from its family for nearly a week.

Sebastian Ward-Smith and wife to be Hollie, from Witham, lost their cat Willow for five days after she got stuck in between large containers nearby.

Sebastian said: “She went missing on a Tuesday night, and she normally comes in first thing in the morning and sleeps most of the day.

“She didn’t come back, and we were quite alarmed.

“Straight away we went to the Witham art centre, printed fliers, made A4 posters, and tied them to lampposts.

“We were knocking on neighbours’ doors, dropping leaflets off, and the response from the community was overwhelming.

“Every day we were out looking, and we went out for lunch on Saturday afternoon, and after we popped to Ramsden Mills carpet shop.

“Our garden backs on to there and when we walked down, we could hear her meowing in one of the containers.

“We asked someone working there to open one of the doors and the containers were full of carpet, but we couldn’t see her, only hear her.

“It turns out she was between the containers.”

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Willow had got stuck between the roof of one of the containers and the floor of another.

With no other option, they called the fire brigade to assist.

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Sebastian said: “We were quite worried and were unsure how we were going to get her out.

“We phoned the fire brigade knowing if anyone can get her out it will be them.

“They sent round an assessor and after a few hours said the only viable solution was to cut open a hole.

“They got to work and used a thermal imaging camera to see where she was and cut it open carefully and safely.

“They got her out and she was home straight away. She was just sneezy and snotty where she has been breathing in dust, but she had a vet check-up and was fine.

“I am a carpenter myself, running handyman services, so after the incident I went back there on the Monday and repaired the containers.

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“We are so grateful to the fire brigade and the Witham community for their help and are so glad she is home safe.”