"The problem was staring me in the face"

Why was the car's dashboard warning light constantly on? Well, that's what the member wanted to know, and of course that's what I was tasked with finding out. And luckily it didn't take me long.

When I arrived I asked the member if they had checked the oil and water etc, to which the reply was yes. However, I decided to have a look under the bonnet myself, as it's quite easy to miss things.

First I re-checked the oil and water, and as the member had said they were fine. The next thing to do was to take the engine covers off. That's when I saw this cute little face staring back at me - a tabby kitten.

The poor little thing was caught in the fan belt and had managed to rip out a wire in the engine causing it to cut out. After dismantling part of the engine around the kitten I managed to gently prise him out, getting a few scratches and bites for my trouble. (I later went and got a precautionary tetanus jab just in case.)

We wrapped him in a blanket, as it was raining cats and dogs (sorry, I couldn't resist it) and waited for the RSPCA to arrive. I suspect that he had decided to climb into the engine bay for shelter. Anyway, apart from a cut ear he seemed to be fine and the RSPCA were confident that they could find him a good home.

That little critter wasn't my first animal rescue by the way. I once had to dismantle a dashboard to retrieve an adventurous hamster that had escaped from a cardboard box inside its owner's car.

Brian Marsh, AA Patrol