MEET Alfie from Darwen, who used up one of his nine lives when he got trapped in a house being renovated.

Owner Jamie Duckworth, from Alfred Street, and her family were distraught when he went missing on Monday.

She got the two-year-old cat and his sister Smudge when Alfie was eight weeks old and knew something was wrong.

Jamie said: “My daughter had let him out in the morning but he did not come back at night.

“It was very out of character for him as he’s always on the windowsill or around about the house and has never wandered off before.

“I went out looking for him and calling for him.

“A few hours later I went out again and then posted on Facebook to see if anyone had seen him.

“The next day, I went out again and I called in the shop and vets to ask around if anyone had seen a small black and white cat.

“I was very upset and felt he was gone forever.”

But as Jamie’s daughter Jodie walked home from school the next day, she could hear a cat meowing from a property on nearby Meadow Street.

Jamie said: “Jodie rang me and I knew I had to go check it out.

“There was three air vents and I could see him and I knew it was him from the meow he does. I looked around the house but it was being renovated.

“I rang the fire brigade who came and they took the air vent out and it was a simple and easy rescue.

“I thanked them and was shaking with happiness. I just can’t believe it.”

A fire service spokesman said: “We were called to reports of a cat trapped in a building.

“It was believed the cat had been in the air vent for 24 hours at the gable end of the building.

“We removed the airbrick and got the cat out. We were there for 15 minutes.”

Jamie added Alfie is a very ‘funny, loveable and mischievous cat.’

She said: “Since then I have found out Alfie regularly goes back to the house and visits the builders who give him snacks.

“They feel terrible about it as they left and locked up the house and Alfie was hiding.

“He wasn’t injured, just tired hungry and dusty and I am happy that he is back.

“When I posted it on Facebook, in a few groups, I was so grateful that people were sharing my post.

“He’s one very lucky cat to have been found.”