A BROMSGROVE puppy, which was trapped underneath a settee and moments from death, was given the gift of life by kind-hearted firefighters just days before Christmas.

Glynn and Lyn Mulhall were horrified when they discovered their Rottweiler puppy, Sadie, caught in the mechanism of their reclining sofa in their Chestnut Road home on December 20.

The Sidemoor couple, whose two young children were deeply distressed by the screeches of the trapped pup, called the emergency service immediately.

Firefighters from the Windsor Street station attended a spate of calls where animals needed rescuing in the run up to Christmas and New Year.

"They arrived almost immediately, if they had been any longer Sadie would not have survived" said Glynn, who owns a successful contract cleaning business.

Seven-week old Sadie was unconscious when the fire crew arrived, which made the job of rescuing her easier as she had ceased to struggle. They used clippers to cut the mechanism apart.

"We didn't care about the sofa, we just wanted to save the puppy," added Glynn.

Shortly after being freed from the sofa Sadie was breathing again to the relief of the family.

Glynn said: "We can't thank the firemen enough."

The firefighters were also called to rescue a cat, which had been stuck up a tree in woodland near Fallowfields Close in Sidemoor for three days.

Its owner had called on the brigade, who faced the challenge of carrying ladders into the wood on December 21. On approach the frightened feline jumped straight into the bag and was happily reunited with its owner.

A day later, a dog was rescued from a fire at a house in Brueton Avenue. The blaze had started after Christmas decorations set alight.

Neighbours raised the alarm as the householders were out and the fire crew was able to extinguish the blaze and save the distressed pooch.

Bromsgrove fire fighters have urged residents to switch off decorations while they are out.

l Photo by Julian Reynolds