'Fireman Sam' the cat rescued from river

The cat was hungry and had an injured paw, but was otherwise healthy

Veterinary staff are trying to find the owner of a cat rescued from a rising tide at the side of a river.

The male cat, nicknamed Fireman Sam, was precariously perched on a pipe cover sticking out of a wall at the side of the River Haven in Boston.

Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue service saved him - and "put the cat in the bag" - after a member of the public alerted them on Tuesday afternoon.

He is being cared for at Pilgrim Veterinary Surgery in the town.

Sam has no microchip but was wearing a flea collar with a distinctive fish charm hanging off it.

Veterinary nurse Emily Herbert said: "He looks very well cared for. He's not underweight.

"The fact he has got this little charm on his collar suggests he belongs to someone so we are hoping they will come forward."

If an owner does not come forward after seven days, Fireman Sam will go to a rescue centre.

Members of the public watched as firefighters rescued the cat, shown in the bottom right of this photo

Firefighters lowered themselves down on an aerial ladder platform and literally put the cat in a bag

The river becomes drained of water at low tide, so Fireman Sam could have jumped down there during the day, and become stranded when the tide rose.

A video filmed by the Boston Standard shows a crowd of people watching the rescue, then cheering and applauding when firefighters got hold of the cat.

The bridge was closed for about 20 minutes while firefighters lowered themselves down on an aerial ladder platform.

Fireman Sam has a distinctive fish charm on his collar