An eight-month-old kitten spent three days stranded on the roof of a derelict house in Barrow after climbing in via a broken board on a downstairs window.

Kenai was spotted wandering along the rooftops and meowing for help after he climbed into the empty terraced property in Penrith Place.

He made his way into the attic through an open hatch before climbing onto the roof through a hole where slates had fallen off.

The weather was wet and windy at the time, which made the roof slippery, and Kenai could be seen losing his grip as he moved around. 

Kenai’s owner Danielle Gilchrist contacted the RSPCA after it became clear that her efforts to coax him down were not working.

RSPCA inspector Martyn Fletcher arrived and although Kenai wanted to come down, the officer was unable to reach him.

Martyn contacted Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service and firefighters from Red Watch at Barrow Fire Station arrived.

The dilapidated condition of the property caused concern so initially they attempted to rescue Kenai using a ladder at the front of the address.

The kitten came close to one firefighter but nervously ran back into the roof space for safety.

The fire service’s aerial platform was then used to hover above the roof and access the space in which Kenai was hiding before putting him into an RSPCA cat basket and safely returning him to the ground.

Following a check up by Martyn, Kenai - who is named after a character in the Disney children's film Brother Bear - was returned to Danielle and her two children, aged two and ten-months-old, who were relieved to see him safe and well.

Martyn said: “The weather had been pretty awful but fortunately he could climb back into the roof space through the hole where the slates were missing, which provided him with some shelter from the elements.

“Huge thanks go to the officers from Red Watch at Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service for their time and assistance. Because of the state of the property, this was a tricky rescue, but it demonstrates the excellent relationship we have with the emergency services and what can be achieved when organisations work together for the benefit of animal welfare.”

Cats are usually able to get themselves back down from places they have climbed. The RSPCA advises people to monitor a situation for 24 hours and try coaxing them down.

Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service later contacted the local authority to ensure the property was secured properly to prevent any more animals from getting inside.