Dargaville firefighters Anthony Mager (left) and Mark Schreurs return a terrified 5-month-old Bebe to her grateful owner.
A kitten was rescued from a stormwater pipe by two Dargaville firefighters who shimmied their way through about 4m of mud to get to her.
Dargaville Volunteer Fire Brigade senior firefighter Penny Searle said a crew responded to the recent distress call on Bayly St.
As they pulled up they saw a man and woman peering into the grate on the side of the road and the faint meowing of the cat.
"We're not really sure how she got down there," Ms Searle said. "The poor thing was terrified."
Luckily a service hole was located about 4m from where the cat was stuck, she said.
Two firefighters, Anthony Mager and Mark Schreurs, clambered down the service hole which was covered in mud.
"One of them then scooted up the drainpipe and he ended up pulling it out," Ms Searle said.
While the firefighters and the rescued cat were covered in mud the owner was relieved her precious tabby was safe.
One person died at the scene of a vehicle crash at Horeke, on Saturday morning.