Cat miraculously survives being stuck on tube train tracks for seven hours

8 February 2020, 00:36

Blitz the cat had a lucky escape after sneaking into a London Underground tunnel
Blitz the cat had a lucky escape after sneaking into a London Underground tunnel. Picture: TfL

By Kate Buck

Cats supposedly have nine lives - but this feline must have far more than that after surviving more than seven hours on a London tube track.

Blitz somehow managed get through the barriers at Tufnell Park station on Thursday morning and go underground without being seen.

Not content with hanging around on a platform, he scampered into the tunnel itself.

For the next seven hours, more than 250 trains screamed over him as he cowered in the tunnel.

The terrified moggy was injured by one of the first trains to go overhead but managed to cling on to life and was eventually rescued by stunned Tube workers.

They found him between a running rail and positive rail and to begin with, were not even sure he was alive.

Blitz ended up with a broken back and is missing part of his tail after getting stuck in a tube tail
Blitz ended up with a broken back and is missing part of his tail after getting stuck in a tube tail. Picture: TfL
He was rescued by workers at Tufnell Park
He was rescued by workers at Tufnell Park. Picture: TfL

But after realising the stricken cat needed their help, they held the tubes up for five minutes so they could rescue him.

Thanks to his microchip, Blitz was reunited with owner Mark Piggot, who praised the “top quality” staff at Tufnell Park for saving him.

He wrote on Twitter: "How the f*** did my cat make his way down onto the track at Tufnell Park tube, get hit by a train have 300 other trains go over the top of him cause the line to be suspended so they could rescue him after seven hours and live? On me birthday?"

Sean Kelly, who helped rescue Blitz, replied: “We were so happy to get it out safe and sound. Hope he makes a fast and full recovery.”

He won't be trying to get into tunnels anymore
He won't be trying to get into tunnels anymore. Picture: TfL

After a trip to the vet, Blitz was diagnosed with a broken back and has lost part of his tail.

Tufnell Park’s customer service manager Dave Keenan said: "To survive almost seven hours in a tunnel lying on the track and have some 250 trains go over it is nothing short of a miracle.

“Blitz’s owners came into the station the following evening to tell us how grateful they were to the ERU and the station staff for saving him, and that he was doing well and recovering at a vet.'