Curiosity got the better of a cat in Great Notley on Monday (January 24).

Essex County Fire and Rescue Service received reports that a cat was trapped in a drainpipe near Notley Green at around 12.24pm.

A fire crew from Braintree attended and spent nearly two hours on the scene.

A fire service spokesperson said: "The cat had run into an underground drain pipe and was trapped.

"Firefighters used chimney rods and a shovel to gain access to where the cat was trapped."

Crews worked with a team from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) to free the animal.

They added: "The cat was rescued by 2.09pm and left in the care of the RSPCA."