Trapped hamster freed from pipe on tiny ladder in Bridgwater

RSPCA officer Alison Sparkes said Jamie the hamster was "thirsty, but OK" after his ordeal

A pet hamster which was trapped in a tiny pipe for six days was freed thanks to a miniature ladder created by an animal welfare charity officer.

The RSPCA was called when several attempts to rescue Jamie the hamster failed. He got stuck in the pipe during an escape from his cage in Bridgwater.

Alison Sparkes, from the RSPCA, said: "I cut a metre-long ladder from old wire mesh, fitted it in the pipe, and that evening he emerged."

She said he was "very thirsty, but OK".

Alison Sparkes made a tiny ladder by hand and put it down the narrow water pipe

Ms Sparkes said: "Jamie was being looked after by a friend of his owner when he escaped and went down a 10cm-wide (4 in) pipe that housed the water pipes.

"They'd dropped a piece of thin rope down hoping he would climb up, but after six days, still no luck, so they called us."