Cat survives a spin in a washing machine

A cat has survived being in a spinning washing machine for almost five minutes.

Siamese-cross Gracie climbed into the machine without owner Jackie Mullins knowing.

After returning from the gym, Mrs Mullens loaded the machine and switched it on.

A few minutes into the wash cycle, Mrs Mullens, from Newport, South Wales, heard a muffled cry.

"I recognised the cat cry immediately but I couldn't work out where it was coming from," she told The Metro.

'Screaming for my husband'

"I checked outside to see if she'd it was one of our cats in the garden, I was looking everywhere. Suddenly I realised it was coming from under the counter top – one of them was in the machine – but I didn't know which one.

"I started screaming for my husband and luckily the machine switched off straight away. He said it was Gracie and pulled her out and wrapped her in a towel – she was soaking wet and terrified."

But after a night on a drip and a £500 vet bill, Gracie has returned to full health.