Preston RSPCA commandeer Lancaster tree surgeon to rescue a pigeon "stuck in a tree"

Out of the blue, Kevin Backhouse, a tree surgeon from Lancaster, received the call from the RSPCA on Tuesday afternoon.

"I didn't think it was a wind up - they told me a pigeon was stuck up in the top of a tree," he says, "and they sent me a picture of it".

Concerned Preston homeowners notified the RSPCA that the bird had been trapped in the tree for two days, but was still alive.

"I headed up to Preston to help out. When I got there the garden was really overgrown, and tiered downwards away from the house," says Kevin, who works for Hortus Trees & Landscapes

"The pigeon was right at the top of an utterly dead tree," the 43 year old says, "when I started to climb up it started raining.

"A minute or two later the thunder and lightning came, and I thought to myself: "This will be the end of me - rescuing a pigeon!"

"But I told myself that if I could do this good deed, if I could get this bird out alive, I'd have done my best".

When he reached the top, Kevin found the bird dangling from a length of fishing line caught around its leg.

"It had probably been flying around when the fishing line got snagged around the branches near the top.

"It was just hanging down, and couldn't free itself".

Kevin says he gently tied a rope around the pigeon and gradually lowered it back down to the ground.

"It was alright in the end," he says, "The homeowners were very appreciative. I'm just glad I could help".

The bird is being looked after by the RSPCA.

It was a big effort for such a small animal, but Kevin thinks it was worth it.

"It would flapped around up there for a week. It would have starved to death.

"I'm a vegetarian, and as daft as it sounds, I do care about this kind of thing".