No Lucky escape from trip to vets

Making light of the cat-astrophe . . . (left to right) neighbour Sarah Miller, Valerie McHale with Lucky, neighbour Lee Cameron and taxi driver Peter Wade

Scared cat is rescued from chimney

LUCKY the cat was determined to avoid a trip to the vets — and shot up a chimney to evade capture.

The three-year-old pet, spotting a cat box ready to transport her to the veterinary hospital in St Helens, darted around the lounge of its home in Glebe Street, Chadderton, trying to evade the clutches of owner Valerie McHale.

It then flew up the flue of the gas fire and refused to budge, causing Valerie to fear she may have to cancel the hospital trip.

Luckily for Valerie, but not Lucky, taxi driver Peter Wade came to the rescue.

Not wanting to see a regular fare go up in smoke — he has taken Lucky to the animal hospital on a number of occasions — or his customer disappointed, he set to work freeing the mischievous moggy.

With the help of a neighbour, he removed the fire from its fixing and managed to reach up and grab the cat.

Owner, cat and taxi driver made it to St Helens with only a couple of minutes late.

After the high drama, Valerie said: “Lucky is a mainly white cat, but she is a bit off-white at the moment.

“She had already been to the hospital four times for major surgery on her spine. But she has recovered well and this time she was merely going for a check-up.

“But I expect she thought she was going to be kept at the hospital and decided she wasn’t going.

“Cartax, whom I always use, and the their driver were brilliant in helping us and I would like to say thank-you.”