A beautiful male black cat, rescued from the scorching engine of a car near Manchester Airport, is looking for his owners to take him home with the help of the RSPCA.
The cat with eight lives, likely to have crawled under the bonnet to keep warm, is thought to have been under there for half an hour before being found.
Driver Maria Locher was on her way home from Manchester Airport to Stockport when she started to smell burning, and found it hard to change gear.
It was only when she stopped to check under her bonnet that she started to hear meowing, and called for help.
RSPCA Inspector Steve Wickham, who responded to the call, discovered the unhappy chappy and realised he was stuck when he could not be coaxed to safety.
Inspector Wickham quickly made the decision to call emergency services to help to take the car apart.
Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue service were able to remove the car battery, enabling Inspector Wickham to wriggle Lucky, as the fortunate feline is now known, to freedom.
The whiskered warrior miraculously survived with only a few burnt hairs to show for his ordeal.
Inspector Wickham said: “I couldn’t believe it when I pulled him from the engine – he must have been in there for at least half an hour of driving.
“We are really keen to trace the owners of Lucky now as he is a lovely cat and I am sure they are missing him.”
Lucky is now being looked after at the RSPCA’s Warrington, Halton and St Helens branch.
With no ID or microchip, his owner cannot be traced. However it is suggested that the owners may live in the Heald Green area.
If you or anybody you know has lost their cat and recognises Lucky, you are urged to call the RSPCA inspectorate appeal line on 0300 123 8018.
