This soggy moggy is down to eight of her nine lives after getting in a spin inside a washing machine.

Tortoiseshell kitten Gollum made it through an entire 30-minute cycle in her owner's machine – and lived to tell the tale.

Lauren Gavin only discovered Gollum's nightmare half-hour when she unloaded her washing – and the eight-week-old kitten plopped out onto the kitchen floor.

Miss Gavin, of Plover Road, Larkfield, immediately scooped up the sodden puss and made a mercy dash to Sandhole Vets, in Snodland, to try to save her life.

She said: "I'd been hoovering, and the other cats went upstairs to get away from the noise. Gollum went into the kitchen and must have hopped in.

"When I saw her I was devastated. She was mewing so faintly I could barely hear it, and she was hardly breathing. It was just so unexpected."

She raced into the reception at the vets in Malling Road, carrying Gollum in her arms.

"I literally just ran in there," she added. "I explained what happened and they whisked her off instantly into the back room. I was feeling devastated.

"We waited and when they came to say she was OK I was so relieved."

Gollum had fluid on her lungs and she was very cold.

Practice manager Verity Page said: "It took 45 minutes just to register a temperature.

"She is an amazing little kitten. She is like a miracle case. We are amazed she survived."

Golum was able to return home that night to her brother Squidgy. She had to wear a cast on her leg to protect the spot where a drip had been inserted to rehydrate her.

Miss Gavin said: "She was practically back to her normal self. They said she shouldn't jump around but she was jumping around just the same.

"I'm so grateful to the vets for saving her life."