Chuck April clings to a firefighter’s ladder yesterday on the roof of his Coventry Lane home in East Derry where he became trapped after knocking down a bees nest. (Tracy McGee)

DERRY — Chuck April, clinging precariously to his roof yesterday, hoped friction would prove stronger than gravity. And, as embarrassing as his predicament was, that someone would see him and call for help.

April was trapped on the steep roof for about 45 minutes yesterday after he removed a bees nest while stringing Christmas lights. He clung to the eaves on his house at 3 Coventry Lane after he was unable to get back down on a ladder he’d climbed to remove the nest. He lay motionless against the shingles as gravity slowly tugged at him.

“I tried to stay still, but I kept feeling myself moving a little bit,” April said.

Few motorists travel down the cul-de-sac in East Derry around 2 p.m., so when April saw a plumbing truck, he knew he had to do something to attract attention. But if he moved too much. . . .

“There were plumbers going by, and I was waving my hat yelling ‘help, help,’” said April.

The plumbers alerted neighbors, who quickly summoned help.

April was stringing the lights along the edge of the gutters near the top of the ladder when he spotted the nest near an upper-story window. He climbed off the ladder and up on the roof to remove it.

“It’s pretty embarrassing,” he said. “I just went up to get a bees nest. I could get up, but I couldn’t get back down.”

April said that when he climbed up the roof he could grip the shingles. Getting back down proved much trickier.

When he tried to get back onto the ladder, it bowed out. He tried to step onto the gutter for support, but it was too flimsy to hold him.

April was relieved when East Derry firefighters arrived with several sturdy ladders. They hoisted one to the top of the roof and hooked it there. April was able to shift over and grab it, remaining there until another ladder was put in place and they helped him climb down.

“You got here just in time,” April said with a sigh.

Capt. Mike Halprin said two people are needed in such a situation, with one person holding the ladder for the other.

April said his cat got stuck on the roof last week but managed to get down.