Italian coastguard saves drowning kitten by performing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation

Children discovered the cat, which appeared to be lifeless, floating in the sea near Sicily

A drowning kitten was saved by members of the Italian coast guard in Sicily who gave the tiny feline mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

Children on the portside in Marsala alerted a coast guard patrol boat to the kitten on Friday, as it floated apparently lifeless in the water.

Immediately one of the sailors from the boat, which was on its way back from a patrol mission, jumped into the water to pull it to safety.

Once on board, his colleagues began the life-saving manoeuvres they are trained to do, though usually on humans.

After a few minutes the kitten, which was not more than a month old, began to give signs of life, coughing up water and emitting a few feeble meows.

The small creature was taken to the coast guard offices at the port and dried off.

A vet was called, who said the kitten was in good health.

He has been "adopted" by the Marsala maritime district office and named Charlie.