A cat stuck in an empty house for ten days was rescued by the RSPCA.

The white and ginger moggy had been trapped in the boarded-up house off Leeds Old Road, Bradford Moor, since about July 3.

It had climbed into the house through a broken window which had then been boarded up without anyone realising the animal was inside.

Zulfiqar Ali, of Moor Park Drive, Bradford, called the RSPCA after his son first spotted the animal when they were driving past the house. He said they saw the cat through the window and later saw it trying to get out of the house. However, on three visits Bradford RSPCA inspector Trevor Walker could not find the animal.

"It had got in through a broken window and accidentally been boarded in. I had been feeding it ever since," said Mr Walker, who is pictured with the cat.

He put food through the letterbox for the cat, even though he was not sure it was there, and then on his fourth visit he managed to spot it.

Mr Walker finally managed to coax it out yesterday with food and the hungry and frightened cat was taken to the RSPCA's animal home in Mount Street, Bradford.

After a few minutes in the centre and some food, it had calmed down.

Mr Walker said he thought the young adult cat, which is probably male, belonged to someone as it was fairly tame and calm with strangers. "It's in a very poor condition. It's not been cleaning its coat and I can feel its spine," he said. "It has had a lucky escape - if Mr Ali had not persevered we would have had a fatality."

The cat had not been microchipped so the owners were not easily identifiable.

Mr Walker said the cat will stay at the animal home for at least seven days and if the owner does not come forward they will try to re-home it.

The RSPCA has 102 cats and kittens in its animal home and is looking for people to rehome them. Anyone who can help should contact (01274) 723063.