Kedleston Hall: Cat called Lucky rescued after days stuck up tree

Lucky has been reunited with pet owners Eric and Mary Holland

An elderly cat has been rescued after spending several days stuck up a tree 15 miles (24km) from his home.

The feline, named Lucky, lived up to his name after he was retrieved from the 19.6ft (6m) tree in woodland at Kedleston Hall, Derbyshire.

The 12-year-old had been missing for two weeks from his home in Long Eaton before he was spotted by National Trust staff on 15 September.

Now he has safely been reunited with his relieved owners.

Following several unsuccessful rescue attempts, National Trust staff believed Lucky had managed to get himself down from the silver birch.

However, four days later he was spotted up in the branches again - prompting staff to seek help from the RSPCA and Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service to free the stricken kitty.

The cat, who was dehydrated and underweight, was ultimately coaxed down and taken to vets before finally being reunited with owners Eric and Mary Holland through his microchip.

It is believed the pet must have sneaked into the couple's car when they visited the attraction two weeks earlier.

Lucky was found in a remote wooded area at Kedleston Hall

Mr Holland, 85, said: "After two weeks of him being missing we did think the worst and that he may have been involved in a road accident.

"Then when we got the call from the RSPCA we were shocked but also over the moon that he was safe and coming home."

Mrs Holland, 77, said: "We called him Lucky because we found him as a scruffy stray in a wheelbarrow in our garden.

"We tried to find his owner but we had no luck so ended up keeping him - we told him he was very Lucky then, hence the name.

"Now he has shown his luck was in again."

Lucky is now safely home