HE is barely three weeks old and has only just opened his blue eyes to the world, but today tiny kitten Frankie can consider himself one lucky cat.

Because while his mum Chelsea was trying to move her litter of three to somewhere a bit quieter in their Winchester home, she accidentally dropped the eight-inch long black kitten into a gap between the walls.

Despite frantic efforts by owners the Haynes family - which included dismantling their bathtub and sending youngest daughter Naomi, 10, after the kitten - they could not reach the poor puss and were forced to call for help. Within minutes of the drama on Monday night, eight Winchester firefighters were on the scene and after searching for Frankie with miniature infrared cameras, decided the only way to get him out was to take tiles off the roof and get in behind the joists.

Owner Sharon Haynes, 40, from Upton Grey Close, said: "The fire brigade were wonderful." Sharon, Naomi and Frankie are pictured with Leading Firefighter Paul Derrick.