The owner of a cat who had to be rescued from a drain pipe said she was “relieved” that her pet was OK and thanked firefighters for their help.

Cassie, from Clevedon in Somerset, said her cat John snuck into the garage while she was unloading her car on Friday evening.

On Saturday morning, when John didn’t show up for breakfast, Cassie went into the garage – where she could only see his head “popping” out of the pipe in the ceiling.

She called Avon Fire and Rescue Service, who sent a team from Clevedon Fire Station to carry out the rescue.

“It seemed so extreme,” Cassie added. “But I guess it was so extreme that she was stuck. I needed her to be okay.”

Firefighters cut out the section of pipe in which the one-year-old cat was stuck.

They then drove her in their fire truck to Vets4Pets Clevedon.

“The looks we got in the waiting room when we walked in with the cat stuck in a pipe and the firefighters, it was funny,” Cassie said.

Firefighters had to carefully remove John from the hose before the vet could make sure she was not in pain.

“They (firefighters) were very careful and prioritized his well-being,” Cassie added.

By the time John was safely home, the story had made headlines across the country and beyond.

“I took her home and she took a nap on me. We cuddled,” Cassie said.

“When she woke up, I picked up my phone and saw that she had blown up online. I didn’t realize she would get so much attention.”

She also explained the mystery of John’s male name.

“My son is obsessed with the name John,” she said. “If I ask him to name something, it’s always John.”