THE RSPCA has responded to a complaint from a Bolton woman who claimed that the charity failed to help her pet kitten which was trapped under kitchen floorboards.

Beverley Wilson, aged 35, of Pilkington Road, Kearsley, phoned the RSPCA emergency number for help.

But she claims that on two occasions someone picked up the phone and put it down again without even speaking.

She said: "The answering machine was not switched on when I phoned the RSPCA. I have been told that in these circumstances there should be a staff member available to pick up the phone.

"But I could not get through to anyone. This is a terrible situation for what is supposed to be an emergency number." Kathy Kay at the Bolton RSPCA Advice Centre on St George's Road apologised and explained that there were usually four or five girls answering the six emergency lines at the RSPCA's North-west headquarters at Chadderton, Oldham, but at present only three staff are working because of illness and holidays.

She added: "The phone automatically cuts off if a connection is not made within three minutes but I would advise people to keep trying.

"The situation has not been brought about deliberately and staff will not put the phone down. Even people at the Bolton RSPCA centre are unable to get through on the emergency number. "I would ask people to keep it in mind that the RSPCA is financed by voluntary contributions."

Pet lovers unable to get through to the North-west headquarters have been trying local RSPCA centres direct.

Kathy explained that on one particular day Bolton staff had taken 35 calls in about four hours.

The St George's Road centre has been taking calls from all over the North-west and only a small number of the enquiries could be dealt with in a straightforward manner.

Beverley explained: "Firemen told me that they are not supposed to send an engine out to rescue a pet unless the RSPCA has been contacted first. My mother subscribes to the charity and says she will carry on doing so."

Firemen were able to rescue the cat.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.