CAT LOVER Paul Brooks camped out on the floor for two nights in front of his gas fire after one of his cats escaped up the chimney.

Paul had only had Polly the kitten for half an hour when the furry bundle made its escape bid.

It managed to squeeze through a gap behind the fire at Paul's council flat in Newfield Drive, Nelson, and scrambled up the chimney. Two days later Polly re-emerged, a little thinner but none the worse for her ordeal.

"My wife Jane had left her in the living room for a couple of minutes and when she got back Polly was gone," said Paul. "We heard her scrambling about behind the chimney breast."We called the fire brigade and they were great but there wasn't a lot they could do. We put down some food at the bottom of the chimney and I had a sleeping bag on the floor. I waited for two nights before she came out."

Polly did poke her head out earlier to grab some food, but then disappeared back up the chimney again. "I was prepared to knock down the chimney breast if necessary," said Paul. "It would have meant a lot of work but the kitten was more important."

Now Paul and Jane make sure Polly is shut away in a safe place if they have to leave her alone until she gets used to her new surroundings.

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