Had a strange one yesterday. Was getting ready to go out for a days servicing, when I got a call about a trapped squirrel in a Hornchurch kitchen – which had apparently got trapped the night before behind some cupboards, having come down through a kitchen skylight. He was still there, wedged, unable to escape, and making a lot of noise for help.

The property was a large house in Emerson Park, not far from me.

I arrived there about 8’ish a.m.. It involved removing the cornice around the affected part of the £250,000 recently refurbished kitchen (I know – did they say be careful, this has cost £250,000 !!), squeezing my head sideways into the gap between the cupboards and ceiling, wearing a headlamp, as there was no room for a torch. I could then see the wedged squirrel, still alive jammed between some solid oak and beech cupboards, about 5 feet down, into a hole between the cupboards.

After trying a few things for an hour or so, I tried a wire noose, fashioned from the cable rope we use for netting, and managed to get it round him sufficiently to haul him out. Apart from being a bit dehydrated I’d imagine, he was fine, and shot off back into the garden to join his friends. The garden had several horse chestnut trees, and quite a few squirrels. One tree was touching the roof, so I advised the client to have that pollarded as soon as possible, which should prevent any further problems.