A RESCUE operation to save three kittens trapped in a storm-water drain ended after several hours today with one of the animals sadly found dead.

It is believed the kittens could have been trapped in the drain at a Belmont office for several days before they were discovered by workers who heard “meowing”.

Office worker Gordan Banjac said it had been a big operation to free the kittens which were trapped 3.7m down a pipe.

“It is good that we at least got two of the three out,” he said.

“It was sad that one of them had died but if we hadn’t got to them when we did it wouldn’t have been a good result.”

Camera Icon Firefighters with specialist equipment are trying to rescue the three trapped kittens. Credit: PerthNow, Seven News.

When attempts by the office workers to dig the kittens out themselves failed, they called a plumber who fed a camera into the pipe to locate them.

Specialist urban search and rescue fire fighters then worked with heavy machinery to excavate around the drain and reach down to where the kittens were.

Mr Banjac said he set up a GoFundMe page to help pay for the expenses of the rescue.

Camera Icon A digger is now being used to reach the kittens. Credit: PerthNow

“You could hear them meowing down there and we just want them out,” he said.

“We were wondering what was going to happen with all the costs for digging and plumbers so I set up a GoFundMe page and that has had great support.”

City of Belmont rangers collected the surviving kittens yesterday and took them to the vet for treatment. The City said once healthy again, they would be re-homed.