July 15, 1977

CATS enjoy nine lives - but there's one in Astwood Bank which might make nonsense of this belief before he's much older.

Six-month-old Tiger has already been in more scrapes than pets ten times his age. Time and again he bounces back as frisky than ever...if a little wiser.

The first of Tiger's dangerous encounters came when he was run over on Evesham Road.

His survival looked doubtful but after stitches and nursing he was out and about again.

The second life was used when he was skewered on the end of a tractor forklift - again stitches and affection put Tiger back on his paws.

Life number three was cancelled as he slept on a pile of rubbish which was thrown onto a bonfire.

A gardener was startled as a furry streak hurled itself from the flames and ran away, singed and shaken.

His sleeping habits nearly caused his downfall again when he slept on a rubbish skip due to be dumped- again he was saved just in time.

As the man with the red book says: 'Tiger, neighbourhood friend, playmate and rascal, - these are your lives'.