It was an emergency worthy of the BBC's 999 drama - a major rescue operation is launched after noises are heard from under an Oxford bridge.

But in this case it was not a man, woman or even a small child trapped in a life threatening situation - but Tim the black and white cat.

Tim found out that curiosity nearly did kill the cat when he became trapped within the base of the bridge - which crosses the River Thames from Friars Wharf in St Ebbe's.

The tom cat walked along one of the angled support struts under the bridge, but then fell down a 9ft length of pipe which was part of the old Oxford gas works.

After 9ft, the pipe bent off to the left at an angle of around 45 degrees going under the ground, and Tim continued to slide down this pipe where he became trapped.

He is thought to have remained stuck in the 2ft diameter pipe for up to a WEEK until his miaows were heard yesterday and a rescue operation launched. Police, firefighters, the RSPCA, Thames Water and representatives of Oxford City Council were put on alert in a bid to free the year-old moggy.

When no key could be found to unlock the bridge base, through which all the electrical wires feed,firemen smashed in the door at around 2pm.

Tim was too frightened to move and firefighters had to use electric jacks to break the upright pipe off where the two pipes connected so they could get to him. Even then Tim was so scared by the trauma, and all the people that had gathered to watch, that he would not come out.

Owner Don Jones eventually managed to coax him out with food just before 7pm last night.

Mr Jones, 45, of Friars Wharf, said: "We are happy to have him back here safe and sound. He has lost a bit of weight but seems fine otherwise. We have been spoiling him and he is fast asleep now in front of the fish tank."

Mr Jones and partner Jill McFadden scoured the streets looking for Tim after he failed to return from his nightly wanderings on Wednesday last week. But then yesterday, Mr Jones was talking to some workmen at Friars Wharf when he heard a miaow he recognised as Tim's. Albert Honey, animal welfare officer for Thames Valley Police, said: "It was a large operation for one little cat. It was very fortunate Mr Jones stopped and heard the cat and it was a splendid operation on behalf of the RSPCA, police, firefighters and Mr Jones."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.