A snake in a bath, a cat in a car engine, a kitten in a washing machine and a squirrel in a boiler are just some of the odder rescues the London Fire Brigade have had to attend.

Following a Freedom of Information request, the brigade has released details of the animal-based rescues it has performed in Croydon in the last five years.

In June 2009, Norbury firefighters went to a Thornton Heath address where a snake was trapped in the pipes of a bath.

Another Norbury call in September 2010 saw fire crews called out to a squirrel which was stuck in a boiler.

In Woodside, fire fighters used shovels, forks, brooms and chimney rods to rescue a kitten trapped in a washing machine.

And last year, a cat found salvation after being trapped in a church in West Thornton.

In total, fire crews in Croydon were called to 25 animal rescues in 2011, mainly dogs and cats trapped.

But despite the novelty value of the more bizarre incidents involving furry friends, the fire brigade wants to make sure it does not waste its valuable time.

A spokeswoman from the London Fire Brigade urged residents not to dial 999 unless it was a real emergency but said residents would not be fined or charged for making superfluous callouts.

She said: “Animal rescues are extremely costly and take up the precious time of our firefighters who could otherwise be attending real emergencies.

“That said, we don’t want people putting themselves at risk to save an animal.”

It is not just fire fighters who are called to deal with the wilder than average incidents.

Last year police officers from Waddon’s safer neighbourhood team discovered four rare crocodiles being kept as secret pets in a person’s house.

The officers, who were there on an unrelated matter, called in Croydon Council licensing officers who had the West African dwarf crocodiles seized.

Three of the females measured 3ft and were found living in cramped and dirty pond liners in an upstairs bedroom.