This is the heart-warming moment a good Samaritan braves a filthy canal to rescue a stranded kitten.

The hapless moggy fell into the dirty water before scrambling to the side of the waterway yesterday (Thu) afternoon in Bangkok, Thailand.

Its faint cries of meow from the female cat were heard by passers-by who were too afraid to wade through the notoriously polluted canals.

But one man bravely removed his top - and despite not being a strong swimmer - used a polystyrene box as a float to negotiate the deepest part of the water.

He was even carrying a large net in his free hand, which he then used to scoop up the kitten and pass it to a neighbour whose house backs onto the canal.

The endearing scene was filmed by onlooker Rimklong Sammakkhi, 37, who said the man was a ''hero''.

She added: ''The car was stuck and couldn't get out. I think everybody has to say thank you to this man who rescued the cat. The water is not clean and he was very brave to go inside.''

Rim said the cat has now been 'adopted' by one of the residents. She added: ''The kitten was only small, and still young. I think it could have lost its mother and then fallen into the canal. It will be taken care of now by people who live there.''

This is the heart-warming moment a good samaritan braves a filthy canal to rescue a stranded kitten.

The hapless moggy fell into the dirty water before scrambling to the side of the waterway yesterday (Thu) afternoon in Bangkok, Thailand.

Its faint cries of meow from the female cat were heard by passers-by who were too afraid to wade through the notoriously polluted canals.

But one man bravely removed his top - and despite not being a strong swimmer - used a polystyrene box as a float to negotiate the deepest part of the water.

He was even carrying a large net in his free hand, which he then used to scoop up the kitten and pass it to a neighbour whose house backs onto the canal.

The endearing scene was filmed by onlooker Rimklong Sammakkhi, 37, who said the man was a ''hero''.

She added: ''The car was stuck and couldn't get out. I think everybody has to say thank you to this man who rescued the cat. The water is not clean and he was very brave to go inside.''

Rim said the cat has now been 'adopted' by one of the residents. She added: ''The kitten was only small, and still young. I think it could have lost its mother and then fallen into the canal. It will be taken care of now by people who live there.''