Pet bulldog trapped in 9ft hole

Doris the English Bulldog was left stuck in the mud after she fell into a hole in back garden of a home in Whitemans close, Cuckfield, last night (Tuesday January 5).

A team from West Sussex Fire and Rescues Service’s Technical Rescue Unit were called to assist the trapped animal at around 10.55pm.

Rob Baker-Johnson, station manger for Central Operations Group at West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service, was first on the scene.

He said: “They (the owners) were doing some major work to the property and to the rear of the property.

“The hole had been dug to make a drainage soakaway system. It was like a building site.

“The owner let the dog out for her last bathroom visit of the evening and she fell into the hole.”

Rob explained the team used concrete grates, which were ready to be put into the hole as part of the soakaway system, to create steps for Doris to escape.

He said: “It took longer for us to clean our kit afterwards than it did to do the actual rescue.

“It was a happy ending to what could have been a more serious situation, especially with all the bad weather and rain we were having.”

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