A FAMILY had to rescue their cat from a tree after more than three days because no-one else would come to its aid.

Eighteen-month-old Dude, who belongs to the Khan family in Tyndall Road, Leyton, is now safe after his ordeal in a 60ft tree in a neighbouring garden.

Despite repeated appeals to emergency services and the RSPCA, nobody came to rescue the stranded cat.

It was only when Sheraz Khan risked his life on a ladder that Dude came back down to earth.

Arbaaz Khan, 12, said: "I felt upset, I was crying. So was my little brother. The cat was helpless, it was just meowing and meowing."

Dude went missing on a Sunday. Arbaaz said the family had looked everywhere for him, and found him the following day crying high up in a tree near their house.

Arbaaz said: "It was more than half way up. I went to climb the tree to try to get it down but it was too high."

Emergency services were called that evening. Police told father Riaz Khan that it was not a police matter, while the fire brigade said they would not act unless the RSPCA asked for its assistance.

When he called the RSPCA, Mr Khan was told no-one could come immediately, because it was after dark and a risk to health and safety. He was assured he would be contacted in the next 24 hours by an animal collections officer.

A day later no-one had called Mr Khan.

An RSPCA spokesman said an officer did try to contact him but was unable to get through.

Mr Khan called back on Tuesday evening, and again arranged to meet an RSPCA officer.

By Wednesday, as his children became more upset and the cat's cries grew more urgent, Mr Khan resolved to rescue the cat.

His 21-year-old son Sheraz climbed a ladder to deliver Dude from danger.

Riaz Khan said: "Every avenue was exhausted, and human lives had to be put at grave risk."

The cat is now safe but was hungry after nearly four days out on a limb.

An RSPCA spokesman said: "There is no reason to think there was any danger to the cat. Cats are fantastic climbers. The vast majority come down when they have had enough or when they are hungry."