Firefighters spent an hour this morning rescuing a cat that had become stuck behind a cooker.

The distressed pet would have died if the team had not used cutting equipment to free it.

Epsom firefighters were called to the home in Partridge Mead, Banstead, at 5am.

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A fireman said: "There was a cat trapped behind the cooker and we had to use some cutting equipment to get it out.

"The cat was alright - we saved its life."