Kittens rescued after being born in guttering at Birmingham home

Fire crews helped the RSPCA with the rescue

A cat family has been rescued after five kittens were born in the guttering of a house.

Birmingham homeowners heard a noise outside a bedroom window and discovered a stray feline struggling to give birth above the conservatory.

The RSPCA said with heavy rain forecast "we knew we had to get to them fast".

The cat, named Storm, and the kittens, who have since been called Rain, Thunder, Misty, Foggy and Hail, are now at an animal centre.

The RSPCA said the cat had an out-of-date microchip so the owner could not be found.

Firefighters and RSPCA Inspector Adam Bailey attended the rescue at a home in Bucklands End Lane on Tuesday.

The homeowners were alerted to a noise outside their bedroom window

Mr Bailey said: "The mum cat had decided to give birth to her five kittens in the conservatory guttering of the property and with heavy rain due to set in we knew we had to get to them fast.

"Alongside fire and rescue, I managed to get up onto the roof of the conservatory and slowly but surely contain the mother using a reach and rescue pole and then pick up each kitten and bring them to safety."

Three-year-old Storm and her new family are receiving some "much-needed care and attention" at Newbrook Farm Animal Centre, the charity said.