Mechanics had to dismantle a car to rescue a distressed kitten that had been stuck inside for half a day during sweltering 30C temperatures.

Car owner and teacher Jirawan Khammool was travelling to work in Ubon Ratchathani province, northeastern Thailand, on March 23 when she heard the cat's loud cries nearby.

Thinking it was the neighbour's pet, she ignored the mewling and drove off to school 10 miles away from her home.

She parked up and taught her classes before returning in the afternoon to run errands. However, she continued to hear the kitten's meows seemingly coming from her car. She and her friends used food to try to lure the hapless animal out, to no avail.

Jirawan then called rescuers to retrieve the trapped cat, but they too failed after spending about two hours coaxing the kitten out from the vehicle's underside. Desperate, Jirawan took her car to the mechanics to have it partially dismantled.

The garage workers used a jack to lift the sedan before setting about loosening its undercarriage. They eventually removed the panel, and out popped the male ginger kitten which is believed to be about a month old.

The hungry feline was placed in a box and was later seen ravenously chowing down on scraps of meat after not eating for hours.

Jirawan said: 'This kitten may have been separated from its mother and slipped under the car while running away from larger animals.

'The weather is hot and humid now so the kitten must have been sweating inside. He needed a long drink because he was thirsty when he came out.'

She decided to name the cat 'Lucky' and took the animal home to care for it herself while she tries to find a permanent home with friends or relatives.