A RELIEVED animal lover has been reunited with his cat who fell down a neighbour's chimney four days after it went missing.

Roger Shuttleworth's pet Missy went missing from the family home in Higham Hall Lane, Higham, on Sunday evening.

Padiham firefighters mounted a rooftop rescue yesterday after the frightened feline was found trapped 15ft down a chimney in a neighbour's bedroom.

The 52-year-old said he put up more than 20 posters asking for information after she went missing.

After four frantic days he heard from a neighbour who thought she was stuck behind her chimney breast.

He said: "I love animals and was really distressed when she disappeared. Thankfully everything has turned out great.

"She is only six months old but has already used one of her nine lives."

Firefighters scaled the roof at 8am and lowered down a bag of cat food attached to a rope.

But every time the bag was lowered Missy would jump in eat the food then jump out when it was lifted.

After an hour of trying, and with no food left, they had no option but to remove bricks from the bedroom wall.

Mr Shuttleworth said Missy is showing no signs of her ordeal which included been stuck there during Tuesday's storms.

He added: "She is very lucky. The weather was horrendous.

"She came out as a black cat but has had a bath and is now fine."

Leading firefighter Jim Edwards added: "The cat strolled out as casual as anything - probably with a very full belly."