THE owner of Spike the Jack Russell has thanked the firefighting teams who were filmed rescued her dog from an underground sewer pipe.

As the Mid-Devon Advertiser reported earlier today, Thursday, fire crews from Buckfastleigh and Newton Abbot were involved in the rescue of Spike last nigt.

Spike’s owner, Kate Haddrell, said afterwards: ‘So, so happy to have Spike home safe and sound.

‘He slept like a log and is a bit stiff this morning You are all Brilliant thank you for your fantastic work.’

Buckfastleigh Fire Station released a video and pictures of their crews working with Newton Abbot Firefighters to save Spike.

Firefighters from Buckfastleigh and Newton Abbot work together to rescue Spike the Jack Russell dog who was trapped down a sewer pipe. Picture: Buckfastleigh Fire Station (8-6-23)
The moment Spike the Jack Russell dog was reunited with his owner, in rather a smelly state after his ordeal down a sewer. Picture: Buckfastleigh Fire Station (8-6-23) (Buckfastleigh Fire Station)

Facebook comments appreciating the firefighters’ work in such dreadful conditions have been pouring in:

‘Commitment and team work ! Wonderful’

‘Well done humanity at its best.’

‘The varied and interesting life of a retained firefighter comes to mind! Well done to all involved.’

‘You guys sure get around – well done.’

On their Facebook page the Buckfastleigh team said: ‘Yesterday as we were on our way to a fire exercise at the South Devon Railway we were diverted to reports of a Jack Russell dog trapped within a sewer pipe.

‘On arrival we were met by Spike’s owners who said he had been missing from his garden since about 3pm and when searching they could hear him barking in the pipe.

‘The officer in charge asked for our colleagues from Newton Abbot Fire Station to join us so we could utilise their snake eye camera to try and get a visual of how far and in which pipe he was stuck.

‘The pipe system was approximately 100m long with many pipes joining at different points.

‘Having put the camera down all the possible entry points and dug an inspection trench we found one more inspection pit in the middle of the field and it was here where we managed to see Spike wedged within the pipe about 45m from the pit entrance.

‘Luckily spike saw the light on the end of the camera as his way out in the dark and with some coaxing from his owners slowly but surely managed in inch his way backwards until he was able to be grabbed.

‘Spike was unharmed after being trapped for over seven hours, a bit smelly and tired from his adventure but back with his family.’

You can see the delight on his owner’s face as she and a very smelly Spike were reunited.