Fire rescue Tink named cat of the year
- Published
Tink the fire rescue feline from Shrewsbury is named cat of the year
A fast acting feline who alerted her owners to a house fire has been named Cat of the Year by an animal charity.
Tink jumped on top of Claire Hopkinson who was asleep in bed when an electrical fault sparked a fire at a neighbouring property in Shrewsbury.
Her family managed to get out of the house safely but Tink was overcome by the smoke and had to be revived by firefighters using a tiny oxygen mask.
"Without Tink we wouldn't be here today," said Mrs Hopkinson.
Claire Hopkinson collected the Cat of the Year 2016 award at a ceremony at London's Savoy Hotel
She recalled the night the drama unfolded while her husband Russell Hopkinson and their sons Jake and Scott were sleeping.
"Tink came up the stairs, jumped on my bed and woke us up. The bedroom was full of smoke.
"We all went out of the house and she remained inside.
"The firefighters had to run back in they brought her out draped over his arm.
"She was unconscious, she wasn't breathing.
Tink has won three months supply of cat food
"They put on a little oxygen mask and finally she took a breath.
"Tink is a very valued family member she's very precious to us
"Without Tink we wouldn't been here today. It would have wrecked our lives if she had died in the fire."
Tink was awarded Cat of the Year at the Cat's Protection's National Cat Awards held at London's Savoy Hotel.