All's well that ends well for silly sausage Minnie

A dog owner has showered the fire service and farmers with praise after they rescued her dog from an underground drainage pipe.

Mallerie Maddison was taking Minnie, her seven-year-old dachshund, on their usual morning walk in a field in Kirmington, North Lincolnshire, when the dog disappeared.

She heard barking from an underground pipe, and called farmers and fire crews for help. After a four-hour operation, Minnie was returned to safety.

Following the ordeal, which she described as "another chapter in Minnie's epic adventures", Mallerie said she was "so grateful to the team for helping retrieve her safely and unharmed".

Mallerie said she found sausage dog Minnie about three years ago, abandoned in a field.

"I think somebody had dumped her because she was really skinny... so we nursed her back to health," she said.

Speaking about the pooch's latest ordeal, Mallerie said: "She was literally next to me one minute and then the next minute she was gone.

"Then we heard her barking from the open pipe hole and I thought, 'There's no way she's got stuck in there, surely?'"

Mallerie sought help from two farmers before contacting Humberside Fire and Rescue Service.

The dog was rescued from the 100m pipe by firefighters from Immingham.

"I was really worried. She's never ever done anything like that before," Mallerie said.

"She literally follows me everywhere I go, so this is new for her, [and] I'm hoping she doesn't repeat it."

Despite dachshunds not being known as being the friendliest breed, Mallerie said Minnie was a hit with her rescuers.

"When she came out, she was actually quite chilled out and she let a couple of them stroke her, and she had some treats and she was actually quite calm.

"I think she was happy to be out – she wasn't overly traumatised by the experience like I was."

The fire service said: "Working for over four hours alongside the local farmer, crews used farm plant machinery, shovels and plenty of determination to locate the pipe and create an access point... A fantastic example of teamwork, perseverance and a little bit of luck!"

Mallerie said Minnie was absolutely fine after her ordeal and was still using her "snoot for snooting in places she shouldn't".

Listen to highlights fromLincolnshire on BBC Sounds, and watch thelatest episode of Look North.

Download the BBC News app from the App Storefor iPhone and iPad orGoogle Play for Android devices