Pitch the kitten had to be rescued by firefighters after being trapped behind a wall for almost two hours.

The animal fell down some plasterboard in the loft of her owner's home and ended up wedged behind a wall of the house in Clapham, near Worthing.

Owner Paul Ginns, 44, returned from a nightshift and heard loud miaowing coming from the wall and realised what had happened.

He called the emergency services and firefighters from Worthing went to the scene and initially got on to the roof and knocked some tiles off to see if they could see it.

Mr Ginns, of The Street, who works as a computer operator, said: "The cat had gone into the cavity of the house brickwork and she must have gone several feet.

"The firemen came and they had to take about 50 tiles off the roof so they could see better.

"They then decided they should try from the inside.

"One of the men had a sledgehammer and a chisel and got some of the bricks out of the landing wall.

"Another fireman with a stick went outside and tried from there to budge the cat which was trapped and frightened. Eventually it came out."

He said several kittens had been born recently after their mother gave birth under floorboards in the loft space.

Mr Ginns said: "I am really surprised she is still alive. I could tell the mother was perturbed.

"I thought I had better call the emergency services but told them I didn't know if it was an emergency!

"I have three other cats, but something like this happening was my worst nightmare and I think it might prove to be quite an expensive day."