AN ESCAPED cat used up all her nine lives when she became trapped in the engine of a funeral car for five hours.

Tiger, the tabby cat, was being taken to the vets by her owners when she broke free from a cardboard carry box in Spring Lane, Radcliffe.

She shot under a black saloon funeral car, parked on the forecourt of Sillett's funeral directors, and became lodged in the engine.

After trying to coax Tiger out of the engine - which was still warm from a recent journey - the cat's owners alerted staff at Sillett's who in turn contacted the RSPCA and the RAC in an attempt to free the distressed moggy.

Peter Sillett snr, said: "We were trying for about five hours to get the cat out. We tried a saucer of milk and some meat, but she wouldn't budge. The RSPCA tried and they had no luck. In the end, the man from the RAC took apart the manifold and Tiger was released safe and well."

His son Peter added: "We heard all the jokes during the day, such as 'have you got a tiger in your tank' and 'purring engine', but, of course, everyone was concerned about the cat. The owners stayed here all day trying to coax the cat out. Apparently, they were taking Tiger to the vets to be neutered, so I'm not surprised the cat escaped!"