Tabby the cat will be keeping his paws crossed this week as the winner for the Disney Pet Hero Award is decided.

Tabby, from Pockeridge Road Corsham, was shortlisted for the award this week after he saved his owners' lives from a kitchen fire.

Mother and son, Anne and James Zawadzki, were alerted to the blaze when Tabby meowed furiously to bring their attention to the fire in their kitchen.

James, 17, had put some waffles on in the grill pan and had left it on while he went upstairs.

But Tabby was on hand to save the day and the emergency services were called in time to prevent serious disaster.

Mrs Zawadski, 55, was so proud of her pet hero that she entered him into the national award last month and was told on Tuesday that he had been put forward into the finals.

The winners will be announced next week to coincide with the release of Disney's DVD The Jungle Book.

Mrs Zawadzki said: "The kitchen has taken weeks of work to clean. We are still trying to clean it at the moment. It should be all right once it's all been painted. It is just the smoke damage and it melted my oven. It was James' birthday when it happened. He won't forget that one for a while."

Mrs Zawadzki said: "Tabby doesn't get any special treatment. I gave him a tin of fish after because I think he was in shock too but that is it. He was locked in the kitchen meowing his head off for James to hear."

Mrs Zawadzki, who has five other cats, said: "Thank God for Tabby or it could have been a lot worse than it was."

A spokesman for the Pet Hero Awards said: "This is the first year we have run the competition. People were asked to send in their stories about their pets then we sent them to Robert Mugford, who is an animal psychologist. He went through them to see which animals are brave and courageous.

"There are only five in the shortlist and Tabby represents the South West for Pet Hero.

"The winners get a copy of The Jungle Book and a very large Baloo Bear. Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment will also donate £1,000 on the winner's behalf to national charity Pets As Therapy.