A litter of three newborn kittens stuck in a ceiling was rescued by residents.

The tiny moggies were discovered by locals when their paws and heads poked through the gaps in the panels in Surat Thani province, Thailand, on February 16.

Footage shows the felines sleeping soundly while vendors worked out a way to retrieve them from below.

The kittens were carefully pulled through the narrow spaces one by one until they were all safely in the hands of their new owner.

Cat lover Nus said: 'Their mother thought the ceiling was a safe spot to build a nest because it was protected from people and other animals.

'But we could not just leave them there because the building is old and the kittens could fall through the gaps.'

The kittens were tucked in a basket to sleep until they woke up for feeding time.