FIREFIGHTERS came to the rescue when a mischievous puppy got stuck down a rabbit hole.

Panic-stricken owner Sandra Forrest thought she would never see her beloved dachshund Holly again after it chased a tennis ball down the tunnel.

Although Sandra and boyfriend Neville Fogg could hear seven months-old Holly yelping, they couldn't reach her.

Sandra feared Holly would disappear in the miles of tunnels under the Devisdale fields at Bowdon - but a crew from Altrincham fire station saved her on Monday night.

Firemen dug down to reach the trapped pooch and she emerged from her 90 minute ordeal with her tail wagging and acting as if nothing had happened, says home help Sandra, of Cumberland Drive, Altrincham.

"I can't thank the firemen enough - they were absolutely wonderful and without their help I would never have seen her again."

Holly disappeared while she was being taken for a walk with Henry, an 11-year-old dachshund.

Sandra says: "Henry made a beeline for the rabbit hole as always, but because of his size he can only put his head down. Holly followed him with a tennis ball in her mouth - the ball went down the hole and she followed it.

"I was in a blind panic. Although we could hear her barking and yelping we couldn't reach her. The fire brigade arrived and we all had to be quiet as we tried to hear her.

"Eventually after digging down she appeared - a fireman put his arm down to her but she backed off. Then I lay in the channel and managed to get hold of her collar, but the hole was too small to drag her through. They had to dig from the other side and her little face popped through.

"It was such a relief - I love her so much and would hate to lose her."

Holly was none the worse for her ordeal.

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