A CAT that was spotted marooned in the middle of the Tamar in Calstock was safely returned to dry land.

On Tuesday morning (March 15) a white and grey cat was spotted by local residents, looking bemused and cold on top of a pillar in the Calstock viaduct.

Richard Hendin and his neighbour Claire Pascoe, who live at Lower Kelly, Calstock, decided, rather than alert the emergency services, that the quickest rescue would be in the form of Chris Pollard of Calstock Boatyard.

A local canoeist was also recruited to assess the situation.

A close up of the cat revealed that it was in a poor state and lacking animation. Local residents were also worried it was hypothermic.

Richard Hendin said: ’It was decided not to attempt a rapid rescue via the canoe, as the creature was out of easy reach, and if alarmed might jump into the water and perish. Two factors were in the cat’s favour: firstly, it was neap tides approaching high tide, so it was rescuable but not threatened by rising water, which meant there were no currents to make its rescue more hazardous, and secondly it was a warm sunny morning.

’Alerted by Claire Pascoe, Chris Pollard arrived in a small dinghy and was able to manoeuvre alongside the pillar and gently lift the cat off, before delivering it safely to the mainland.

’Once back on terra firma the cat revived rapidly and despite being offered warmed milk, declined to give its name and address or any account of how it came to be marooned in the middle of the Tamar and disappeared up a set of steps into the Calstock hinterland.’