A PIGEON in a flap needed a helping hand from firefighters after getting trapped down a chimney.

The feathered beast found its way into the chimney stack at Lisa White's home in Colne Road, High Wycombe, over the weekend.

At first Mrs White didn't know what was coo-ped up inside and causing debris to fall down into the fireplace.

So she called the fire brigade out to investigate - who discovered the prone pigeon unable to fly away.

A crew from the Red Watch at High Wycombe fire station went up onto the roof on Wednesday to reach the bird and bring an end to its ordeal.

Mrs White said: "I heard something in my chimney at the weekend. Stuff was coming down it so I put an old shower curtain under it.

"After a couple of days it was still coming down. I could hear something but couldn't be sure what it was."

The pigeon flew away out of a firefighter's hands after being freed and Mrs White said of the crew's efforts: "They were absolutely fantastic - I don't think they get enough credit for the work they do."