1983: FRED DIBNAH foiled by GINGER TOMCAT at 160ft | BBC News | Animal Magic | BBC Archive

[@hilaryepstein6013]

Good old Jerry from the animal sanctuary. It's lovely that exactly 40 years later his bravery is being remembered. I hope he sees this.

[@TheOriginal_BigMac]

Today, the police would have prevented access to the chimney for Jerry because he hadn't been approved by the necessary risk assessment committee

[@whiteshoes3621]

​​@@TheOriginal_BigMacDid you not hear the part where they called the police on Jerry in the clip? That Fred was angry that Jerry was not trained and it would be him that had to rescue Jerry? He was just as unwelcome climbing the ladder on safety grounds then as he would be today.

[@martymartin2894]

​@@whiteshoes3621sounds like Fred was angry because he was stealing his limelight. He didn't think anyone else would climb up there.

[@aliorr9356]

You say that like Fred was trained. Fred had no formal training in steeple jacking

[@eddyd8745]

Google Dixon Chimney, Carlisle, man dies. They left a guy stuck up there to die whilst they tried to decide how to get him down 'safely'. @@TheOriginal_BigMac

[@vordman]

That bloke from the animal sanctuary had some balls. What a hero.

[@lewis7515]

That Fred was so annoyed.

[@charlesburgoyne-probyn6044]

Courage of his convictions

[@bid84]

@@lewis7515Fred wanted the glory of course. Bit sad really

[@James_Rivett]

i didnt known him until the late 1990's@@OlafProt, but I do think he treated his first wife bloody rough. I got the impression when Sue left him she still cared greatly for him. I'm afraid me and Sheila never did see eye to eye, and after his death she said some hurtful and offensive things, which now would be covered by The Equality Act 2010, but this was previous to then. I guess some of my ex's might say I'm just as bad, my ex partners have all got fed up with my love of steam engines and vintage machine and not being very domesticated. I was once asked about my past relationships, and I replied, 'most of my ex girlfriends all complained "You love that bloody engine more than you love me" and you know what, they was dead right! their long gone, but my engine is still here and going strong' lol.

[@James_Rivett]

@@OlafProtI wouldnt want to be married to me lol. I'm a country boy, I cant stand being in a big town or city, yet I've made engineering my lifes work, I don't like what happened in the 1980's to industry, but I dont think its fair to lay the blame completely at Maggies government. I blame several things, one of which was signed off by my political hero. In return for help from the Yanks in the early 1940's, churchill was forced to open up commonwealth markets to American trade, which undercut our british goods, and destroyed our export trade with the commonwealth (further compounded by Heath, Thatcher, Major and Blair all turning away from our commonwealth partners). I hold the Labour government of 1945 to 1950 who nationalised everything allowing the civil service and governments to mismanage our industry accountable, I blame the militant, over politicalized and greedy labour unions of the 70's and 80's, whos constant strikes helped to destroy manufacturing, in particular the evil slimy and uncaring Scargill. To me Ted Heath was even worse than the socialist government of the 1940's, signing us up to the EEC, destroying barriers that protected UK manufacturing against cheaper imports, which was made worse by Major, and Blair taking us even deeper into the EU. Since our joining of the EEC it hasn't just been industry that has suffered, its been our home grown agriculture, and until we are prepared to support homegrown goods and pay a premium for imported goods, it will only get worse. I get very depressed when I look at what we have lost, not only industry, but the building on our green and beautiful country side, our once comprehensive rail network, and the loss of rural life that I was able to catch the end of. There was one major difference between me and Fred (besides the fact I'm scared of heights lol), fred saw no beauty in fields and trees. To me they are natural works of art and are glorious beautiful things, that the current administration seams to want to build houses all over to house our artificially inflated population. My late grandad always said I was born 50 years too late. I think he was right, but had I been born 150 years before and had some financial backing, who knows, I might have been mentioned in the same sentence as Fowlers of Leeds, Marshalls of Gainsburough and Burrells of Theford lol

[@jasonayres]

Fred and Ginger. Not the dance routine I thought it would be.

[@bellerophonchallen8861]

brilliant.😄

[@Mr_Spliffy]

​@@bellerophonchallen8861yep😅

[@JamesBarometer-jv9kk]

Class....😉

[@billybigtime2808]

Superb comment Sir

[@James_Rivett]

And now both in heaven, but I doubt their dancing cheek to cheek lol

[@pjdolont9012]

I love that Fred called a meeting with the local authorities, a decision was made to break for dinner and the guy from the animal sanctuary just took it upon himself to climb up after the cat, none of this would happen today.

[@paulking2636]

If this was today it would take them a month to carry out a risk assessment.

[@SlartiMarvinbartfast]

Don't be so ridiculous, and be careful that you don't break your rose-tinted glasses.

[@craigpimlott204]

The fella got arrested when he come down .it’s on another of Fred’s stories on KZbin .

[@oliver4693]

@@SlartiMarvinbartfast shut up mug

[@borntoclimb7116]

​@@paulking2636 nah just wear a ppe and lets Go, sure is complicated but its Not a miracle, in Germany we have some similar animal rescure

[@macflod]

You know that this was broadcast 21 years and minus one day to the day Fred died! What a legend! Died too young! We miss you Fred.

[@WillScarlet1991]

Fred not happy that another guy climbed up the ladder before him 😁

[@davidjeffreys9063]

I wondered that too

[@redpsycho90]

The animal sanctuary guy must be so strong to cary such a big cat and 2 steel balls down. Fred is used to the highs but the guts of that animal sanctuary guy! Respect

[@daltonbedore8396]

its hilarious how obsessed the BBC was with fred. but glad they were, a real slice of culture and time period preserved

[@nigelsouthworth5577]

It puzzles me how people who watch news stories then comment how stupid they are and why people are interested and why news editors decide it's a news story.

[@daltonbedore8396]

@@nigelsouthworth5577 nobody said it was stupid.

[@nigelsouthworth5577]

@@daltonbedore8396 Yes, I was wrong and I apologise.

[@juu4524]

@@nigelsouthworth5577 it’s kind of ironic that in the comments of every not so important news story on youtube old people complain about how the news of today is worthless even though in the 80’s they were reporting about a cat being stuck.

[@matthewnaylor4412]

Fred is a hero and a God in Lancashire, tho that bloke from animal sanctuary had some big balls what a guy 👍

[@andywatts8654]

Jerry was the star of this show

[@DeeMun-rz8ur]

Bet the animal sanctuary guy got fed up of waiting for Fred to come out the pub so thought I'll do it myself

[@deanstanley5799]

The other bloke had some balls going up the ladder

[@James4791zx]

The cat had no fear either,at least going up.

[@fidelcatsro6948]

balls of aluminium and steel!

[@Vlaid65]

They needed a crane to lower the balls of both rescuers to the ground.

[@DustyPhartz]

Fred asking dude “you busy tomorrow” lol

[@borntoclimb7116]

​@@fidelcatsro6948 this is just a ladder, is pretty easy for a pro Climber. You dont need difficult holds.

[@waynecooper3256]

Listen at 1.37 I’m sure Fred describes the bloke in a cracking way😂😂😂😂😂

[@tomsharpe2251]

"It'll be me who has to get the c*nt down" 😂 Not sure how the BBC let that bit stay in 😂

[@NothingToDismay]

Yeah, I'm surprised no one ever picked that up.

[@alanclarke1114]

Good old Fred 😂 ,I did a double take myself.

[@Cjmatthews87]

Thank you I thought I heard him refer to him in a lovely way I thought i was hearing things lol

[@willtricks9432]

Proper site lingo, and accurate.

[@London_Native]

Well done Jerry and Fred. Fearless!

[@tomcat7525]

I wonder how long it took the cat to get all the way up there and did he only go up for a look? Brave rescuer. 👏

[@robambrose4199]

None of them are asking how it got up there? Did it climb up the ladder or use the rope? I'm guessing it went up the ladder rung by rung but couldn't figure out how to climb down again. Or knowing cats, he probably could have climbed down and just wanted attention.

[@KarinExMachina]

​@@robambrose4199I dunno but cats be dumb 😂

[@James_Rivett]

Apparently it Sat originally on the 3rd ladder up (each one of Fred's ladders were 12 foot long). As Fred went up to get the cat, the cat climbed further up to get away from him. Fred tried climbing up the ladder on the other side to throw bits of soot and loose motar to scare the cat back down, but the cat couldn't work out how to go back down and climbed further up. By the time Fred had got back down it had got onto the staging he had started erecting nearby he top. After a quick pint or 6 to discuss the "Modus operandi" they returned with the RSPCA (who refused to go up the chimney) so a cat basket with some cat food on was left attached to the ladder hoping the cat would climb in. Upon return next morning, the can was walking around the very top of the chimney.

[@dustintravis8791]

I've been doing down a Fred Dibnah rabbit hole the last few days and it just keeps getting better and better 😂

[@andrewgates9518]

C word topped it off for me, good ol bbc not understanding the common man 😂 played on the news 😂

[@charlestaylor9424]

Once you finish Fred try Jack Hargreaves

[@derekstocker6661]

Lovely to see these news readers of those years gone by, well done Fred and the man from the rescue place, heroes each and thankfully Ginger got to live yet another day. Fabulous report and RIP Fred.

[@TheUnitedView79]

1:37 Fred dropped the C word on national television “they wont gerrim down it’ll be me that gets the c**t down” 😂😂😂 Legend

[@willtricks9432]

Went back for the replay and he did the English proud.

[@TheUnitedView79]

@@willtricks9432 imagine how many times the BBC would be apologising today…

[@willtricks9432]

@@TheUnitedView79 No idea I don't watch TV.

[@ryle5410]

he didnt say that lol, he said come down

[@TheUnitedView79]

@@ryle5410 it’ll be me that gets the come down? Don’t think so.. Fred definitely dropped the c**t bomb

[@hannecatton2179]

The man from the sanctuary has balls of steel and faitr in Fred´s workmanship.

[@andrewcarter504]

What is faitr.

[@chillired5389]

He’s lovely cat! Fred was excellent at what he did and Gerry from the animal sanctuary put his life on the line to rescue the ginger tom cat! If anyone can help me over my fear of heights it would’ve been Fred🙏

[@amancalledkev]

Fred Dibnah & John Noakes - They don’t make them like that any more!

[@SagaciousFrank]

Fred Dibnah, the Lancashire legend.

[@nigelcarren]

Notice how Ginger wasn’t glued to a smartphone unlike the cats of today! 😻🧐

[@JamesBarometer-jv9kk]

So true😄!!

[@DustyCustard]

Simpler times.

[@borntoclimb7116]

You mean the owners who use they cads and dogs for clicks or the Fake animal rescue here on KZbin when animals got bad hurt just for likes

[@fidelcatsro6948]

cats back then looked tough and healthier too without the processed gmo nonsense we eat today!

[@soundseeker63]

@@fidelcatsro6948 "Tough" as in chewed ears, scarred faces, etc. ? I still see quite a bit of that around..

[@hiyadroogs]

Unfortunately for the cat, climbing up a ladder is easy. Coming down a ladder is impossible. A cow can climb stairs, but because of the configuration if its front legs, it cannot descend stairs.

[@CycolacFan]

Cats can climb down ladders but not at that height. Mine could easily climb down our loft ladder that was about eight feet high.

[@willtricks9432]

Seeyo at the Milkplus bar.

[@thephilpott2194]

This was more complex than reported. Having grabbed the cat the bloke froze at one point and had to be talked down by Dibnah. A double rescue. Yes, he did say cnut, and the BBC didn't catch it before it went to air. You have to be a cat to do summat stupid like that. People rip up their whole floor to get a cat out, when all you have to do is remove one floorboard, leave the light on, put a bowl of food by the hole, then go up the pub.

[@andywatts8654]

I call bollocks on your story. That sounds like Fred trying to save face after he couldn’t be arsed to get the cat himself

[@terri6854]

"gettim t'come down". Definite "m" sound.

[@James_Rivett]

@@andywatts8654 it's very true, and you can see in the film that Fred had to go up to the cat basket because "jerry" can't move. The story has been well documented in several places. As soon as Jerry was back on the ground, the police arrested him before the news people could interview him. As for Fred couldn't be arsed, he had already been up there to try and get the cat down and it kept going further away from him. These events are also well documented be the BBC. Personally I'd had got people with blankets around the chimney and kicked it off and prayed it was court in one of the blankets.

[@leonardhpls6]

​@@James_Rivettand kicked it off😂 funny guy

[@James_Rivett]

@@leonardhpls6 you clearly never saw Fred knocking a chimney down brick by brick!

[@stan-ut5gj]

Fred actually said the C word,like a proper bloke.😂😂

[@milquetoasted]

i didnt hear it? timestamp? edit never mind, I heard it all right

[@fredo1070]

Can't hear it, timestamp?

[@milquetoasted]

@@fredo1070 1:34 "they won't get it down it'll be me who has to get the c**t down"

[@WonkyDrummer]

He definitely says it. Listen carefully. Passed by the BBC News editors! 😂

[@43bikeguy]

​@@WonkyDrummerHe absolutely said it and they missed it. I imagine they scratched their heads the entire time he spoke wondering what he was saying.

[@stormytempest6521]

Think Fred had more lives than a Cat ! Fred and Cat both LEGENDS.

[@terencebarrett2897]

Absolutely wonderful cat ginger,and our folk hero Fred Dibnah God Bless Fred and ginger, rest in peace🌹🌹

[@Elvis-guy1973]

The final insult, giving a ginger Tom cat a tin of dog food!😹😹

[@jameswalker7459]

There will never be another fred he is a man with skills what other men wouldn't be able to do in todays world RIP fred

[@diannemose244]

The size of crowd amazing everyone wanted cat rescued

[@6deste]

Incredible, what a brave chap, great stuff

[@TheHarrip]

I swear Fred just said on the BBC "it won't be them that'll get him down it'll be me that'll 'ave to get the C*nt down". You Leg End Fred.😂

[@sandyshine6690]

Yes lol😁 he did say c*#t 👍🇬🇧

[@carlwilson1772]

He didn't. He said, in a Bolton accent "It'll be me'll af ta get 'im come down".

[@sandyshine6690]

@@carlwilson1772 i agree you are right😁 Fred was a legend very brave bloke 👍🇬🇧

[@James_Rivett]

yes he did@@carlwilson1772

[@CycolacFan]

t’comt down

[@Kenny_P_abz]

I love how at 1:35 Fred says it’ll be him who gets the c*nt down. I presume the BBC didn’t understand his accent so didn’t bleep it.

[@austin2842]

He says "come down".

[@terri6854]

"gettim t'come down". Definite "m" sound.

[@Eddie-Spaghetti]

@@austin2842 As a fellow Boltonian and having been around this accent and these people my whole life I can assure you he said “c**t”

[@Eddie-Spaghetti]

@@terri6854 As a fellow Boltonian and having been around this accent and these people my whole life I can assure you he said “c**t”

[@austin2842]

@Eddie-Spaghetti I'm from the immediate area as well, and I think otherwise. My family has been in the area for generations, and I have relatives with older and thicker dialects than Fred. I understand what he's saying without even stopping to think about it.

[@bennydubbz]

Hats off to those Good Fellows!!! That Ginger(Henry) is a Gorgeous/Majestic/Lucky cat.🐈

[@Sinnerboy88]

The Yanks have Fred Astaire and Ginger Rodgers. We have Fred Dibnah and Ginger the Cat.

[@0w784g]

I love that the BBC is so in touch with working class people they literally didn't censor "it'll be me who'll have to get the blimmin c-word down".

[@zm321]

This is back in the days when the BBC WAS in touch with working class people.

[@Ben-zr3tj]

He Says "to come down" it's the cig in his mouth mixed with his accent lol

[@Tinywars]

How times have changed.

[@yemalad1.]

The balls on the animal sanctuary fella just casually climbing a 160ft ladder like he does it everyday 😂

[@sianwarwick633]

Poor old chap - good one, the cat rescuer. Makes you wonder if there are any Freds in training in the area

[@aaronstott3467]

They wasn't just carrying a cat down, they had some balls too. His jacket flapping away in the wind like that. No thanks! 😂

[@bmurray330]

The combined weight of the balls on the animal rescue guy and that cat are probably close to black hole level.

[@c6gav]

That guy from the animal sanctuary had gut's to climb that ladder to that height..! Most people couldn't do that it would be to high for them..!

[@joemcconnell2674]

Never spoke to him. But I seen Fred in Wales back in 1994. He was working at an old steam train in a disused railway station.

[@alfreddunn03]

Most of the people in Britain just love animal's...that's the way it is.

[@jimboramba]

What an interesting life that cat had. When my life is over i want to come back as that cat

[@rogerbartley2225]

Someone out Freded Fred 🙂 I ain't hanging round for some guy having his lunch, I'll just grab it me self, lol

[@bassbytes]

Hard to believe Fred is only 45 in this clip. Looks much older.

[@James_Rivett]

i suspect the constant smoking aged him a lot. But some people always had older faces, we was watching the Titfield thunderbolt on sunday, and it was commented that Sid james was years older than his love interest Joan played by Gabrielle Brune. In fact Brune was almost a year older than Sid, who was 39 years old when the film was being filmed despite looking about 60.

[@cbrboy76]

Fred probably looked like that when he popped out of his mothers womb.

[@bassbytes]

😆@@cbrboy76

[@James_Rivett]

@@cbrboy76 when you saw the man clean and in a suite, as he did for his after dinner speaches, he just didn't look like Fred.

[@fidelcatsro6948]

lack of cruciferous vegetables especially with non filter cigarette smoking..

[@Chris-kz7us]

Back when someone being stabbed wasn't every news story

[@johnlally5296]

That man had some balls

[@WildBikeCamper]

I really, really miss those days....when life was so much less complicated. But then - we'd not have KZbin!

[@georgepointer1127]

But what a blessing piece and quite.

[@lordjimmyjimbok3067]

These guys have balls of steel back then

[@T100-t5t]

The last meow was perfect on fall 😂

[@StanSwan]

That cat would have to wait for Fred if I was around. That is crazy. Fred was fearless.

[@ZIGZAG12345]

Oh man. Getting a cat in one of those boxes is hard at the best of times. These two strangers doing it above and below one another on the same ladder far up in the air with a scared cat who also considers them "strangers" is quite the feat! 😮🎉

[@chitownbangin]

I just found out about Fred Dibnah. The guy was...like a real life movie character. Kind of what I always envisioned Theodore Roosevelt to have been like. But I think Fred had more bravery yet. Probably one of the bravest souls to ever live. What a gem of a man he is to represent his nation.

[@OhEarchadha]

the best news report in 1983

[@nforne]

The BBC were so unused to northern accents back then that they completely missed it when Fred said the C word. 🤣

[@moriwaki1105]

" It'll be me who'll have ter get the Cnut Down ". Lol.

[@soilentgreen7]

he probably didn't say the actual word, up here we shorten 'couldn't' to something that sounds similar, eg, "I c..t get out of bed this morning"

[@andrewbell1105]

Cant believe the Beeb left the C word in. Obviously the BBC Archive boffins couldn't understand what Fred said. 😂

[@craigpimlott204]

They can’t understand owt that doesn’t sound like it’s got a plumb in its mouth

[@soilentgreen7]

he probably didn't say the actual word, up here we shorten 'couldn't' to something that sounds similar, eg, "I c..t get out of bed this morning"

[@chaosflower4892]

A Britain that is no longer. Chimney stacks no more. No heroes saving puddy tats. The lion does not roar.

[@justinbest9429]

Bloody love Fred!

[@InvincibleSummer-s8p]

I guarantee Fred went for a pint after the whole debacle was over

[@Tmuk2]

I guarantee he'd already had one when it started

[@James_Rivett]

or 3 or 5 @@Tmuk2 lol

[@andywatts8654]

He went for a Pint while the debacle was going on. That’s why they had to get a decent bloke to rescue the cat

[@James_Rivett]

​@andywatts8654 not that decent, Fred had to go up and rescue both the jerry and the cat, when the silly man got scared and froze. Fred had to coach him all the way down. The story is well counted by verious publications

[@fidelcatsro6948]

naaaah he bought a pack of 100mm Marlboros non filter King size

[@TheROLLER1953]

Fred was the man

[@diraziz396]

Fred the Chimney. Great Blast from the Sans past. Cheerio

[@fidelcatsro6948]

Ginger cat must be over 40yrs old today!

[@stevep764]

Brilliant clip

[@stormytempest6521]

LEGENDS ! cat and Fred.🙂👍

[@tomandsamuel]

I think he defo dropped the c bomb on TV!! Makes him even more of a legend

[@Monkonelove]

1:30 👀 did Fred just drop the C bomb on the BBC 😵‍💫

[@James_Rivett]

yes, but he must have also been one of the few people who said "bloody" as frequently as that and got away with it. The BBC were very tight lipped when you thing about it back then. Dave Allen got the sack for the F bomb that was frequently on channel 4 at the time, and that was several years later.

[@fidelcatsro6948]

C for CAT!

[@hellooohowareudoing]

He said come down!

[@nforne]

​@@hellooohowareudoingSoutherner by any chance? You heard what the BBC heard lol. Us northerners know what he really said. 😂

[@hellooohowareudoing]

@@nforne "It'll be me who'll have to get him come down" I think you're just hearing what you want to hear 🤣 admittedly it would be funnier if he did say it but he didn't

[@stephenoneill2844]

Fred is my favourite Englishman with Winston coming a close second.

[@CaymanIslandsCatWalks]

For a second I read winton and thought dale ha

[@jasonwilliams7171]

Brilliant British people are amazing 😍

[@RainbowYawn]

It sounds like Fred says “it’ll be me that’ll have to get the c down” 😂

[@lukey6534]

Takes a brave man to hold a scared cat on a ladder that far off the ground. A lot of teeth and claws to contend with.

[@byteme9718]

Only until you let it go and gravity takes over.

[@cbsundance]

Glad the cat made it...

[@johnnolan4312]

Fred was the GOAT

[@JB-ef7ks]

Ole fred was embarrassed that Jerry bypassed him and took his hero moment away from him live on the tele!! Im sure he was trying to milk the cat show for everything it was worth till Ole Jerry threw a stick in his spokes!!

[@rensha8635]

My goodness how dangerous was that 😮 would never be able to do that today with health and safety practices. How brave was the animal rescue man just going up there and reaching across for the cat .

[@bored.in.california2111]

Imagine if the cat freaked out once they let him out the basket and ran straight back up the ladders.

[@albertupardsnipec5988]

1:36 😊

[@arthurconan1899]

So Fred Saved the Day...

[@mysticallymerry5523]

Curious cat didn't get the memo then!😂 Lucky Tom.

[@BritishNaturalist-vb8hj]

Nice to hear a good news story.

[@ANDunn-tf6xp]

I've never seen any video of that dude without a cigarette in his hand. Not once lol

[@BarryBollox.]

EE the good ol das when you came home from school and this was on the news.

[@loafersheffield]

Fred: proper Norf. Legend!

[@iandann8788]

yes ,some balls ,amazing he could go up that high

[@SunnyvaleTrailerParkSupervisor]

Fred Dibnah is above all Emergency services even the military

[@anthonyc4812]

Jerry certainly did possess a big sack.

[@scopex2749]

How big was the basket send up to to carry the balls of the animal rescue chap? Fred & Ginger 😂🤣 YOU COULDNT make this stuff up!

[@denverstewart8301]

And it was a tom getting rescued by a Jerry, amazing 😂

[@Shonuff42080]

Fred's always cool as the otherside of the pillow 😅

[@DarkStar-wu9nq]

God Bless you Gerry

[@davidpayne3938]

Who would have thought a Jerry would rescue a cat😆 but good old Jerry for being brave enough and going up the chimney to save Tom, obviously when watching the Tom and Jerry cartoons back in the day he never took side's..😂

[@konzi]

i love this shizzle

[@stephenpike3147]

Topcat?

[@johnmelling9950]

I dont understand why Fred didn't just climb up and get the cat?

[@Nuttyirishman85]

I bet the guy sneaking in to save the cat, was afraid of heights too. People will go to extreme lengths for animals.

[@Iunio92]

wild to think that everyone in that video (cat and human alike) are now long dead. a window into the past, for sure

[@jammiedodger629]

George said " Fred had done a good job, I was only inspecting his work. Don't worry. now where's my dinner?".

[@doctorsocrates4413]

jerry had some balls going straight up there..be arrested if you did that now.

[@James_Rivett]

he was arrested back then. According to Fred's version of the story, the moment his feet touched the ground, the police whisked him away before the press could interview him.

[@marcusloasby3492]

“I’ll have to get the C down” 😂

[@soundseeker63]

Life really was different in the 80's wasn't it! That man must REALLY love cats because no way in hell would I climb up a 160ft chimney unharnessed like that! But maybe in the 80s people still did that sort of thing and it was just normal...? haha

[@cornflakesandmilk8157]

How the Hell did the cat get up there