FIREFIGHTER Pat Knowles couldn't believe his eyes to find a stowaway on his fire engine after returning from a job in Radcliffe.
The Eccles-based firefighter discovered the cat on Thursday after opening the pump locker after attending a development site in Bury Road, taking over from the night crews.
It was not until they got back to the station later that morning when they discovered the discovered the four-legged friend hidden in the engine.
Mr Knowles, aged 28, said: “The cat was as surprised to see me as I was it. At first I thought someone was playing a joke.
“It was a young cat, and we tried to coax it out and gave it milk. But it just stayed there and seemed comfortable so we called the RSPCA.”
He added: “I don't think it is from Radcliffe, the crew manager Baz Hulme said 'it looks like an Eccles cat!'” We don't know how it got on board, it could have been wandering round the station yard and jumped on.”
Mr Knowles say they are confident the black cat will be reunited with its owners, otherwise the cat could have been the latest addition to the watch.
“We think they have been found, and are just waiting to hear from the RSPCA this week,” said Mr Knowles, “If the owners couldn't be found, we were thinking of keeping it.”
The picture of the stowaway was posted on Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service's Facebook page in a bid to track down its owners. They posted: “Who can spot the stowaway in the back of an Eccles fire engine.”
Comments posted included: “Very cute, hope it gets back to where it lives safe 'n' sound.”
Another added: “Aww cute.”
And one commented: " What a cheeky cat bringing its own saucer."
