A GIRL was plucked from the roof of a house in a dramatic rescue.

The girl, aged eight, clambered 30ft on top of a house in Regents Close, Colchester.

Shocked residents called the emergency services and tried to coax her down.

Eyewitnesses say she was running across rooftops for 25 minutes, before firefighters eventually managed to bring her down safely.

Gay Stewart, of Regents Close, said: “Wewere sitting inside when we heard something on the roof.

“We tried to talk her down and managed to make a platform, using a stepladder.

“She was taken back home, but then she was up a second time and onto the next roof and would not come down.

“She was leaning over and could have died if she fell.

“Everyone was out watching and trying to help.”

The owner of the neighbouring home said: “We heard a noise and went out and everyone was looking up.

“I was gobsmacked when I saw a girl up there.

“The fire brigade came and people did what they could, but she must have been 30ft up and everyone was worried.”

Tyler Luscombe, 21, of nearby Princess Drive, said: “I came home from work and saw all the police cars, fire engines and an ambulance and wondered what on earth was going on. Then I looked up and saw a little girl up there.

“The firemen were trying to get her down, but she would not listen.

“She was running across roofs in Regents Close for about 25 minutes.

It was a relief when she was safe.

“The firemen were great, trained and professional and one of the neighbours was really good and helpful and deserves credit.”

Fire crews distracted her and placed ladders agasint the wall.

Despite dislodging some roof tiles, they got her down safely.

It is believed the girl walked along a wall in a garden in Viscount Drive and then climbed up guttering on a bungalow in Regents Close, which backs onto Viscount Drive, and then went over a car port and up onto the top of a house.

Neighbours believe she was staying with her gran in the area.

A spokesman for the fire service confirmed they were able to use ladders to get the girl down safely on Sunday, at 7.30pm.