A MISCHIEVOUS terrier's nose for the rabbits sent firemen, the RSPCA, council staff and a farmer barking mad when she sparked a massive three hour search down a land drain.

The terrier terror, Sadie, disappeared during a walk with owner Wayne Gildart, of Alderley Lane, Leigh, but it was not until 24 hours later that he realised his pet had literally gone down the drain.

Distant barks echoing from underground wafted out of the land drain on a field in Staffords Farm, Leigh, alerting Sadie's worried owner.

It was then that the three hour search began. It involved firemen, Leigh council drains department and its state-of-the-art underground camera, the farmer with his digger, and a watchful RSPCA officer. The council camera and its portable screen, used primarily for sewer work was sent down the drain in a desperate bid to track down Sadie, a Lakeland terrier.

Each time it got close, the digger would remove two to three feet of earth and the drain was smashed - but for three hours to no avail.

Several attempts later the camera caught the back legs of Sadie on film, and the digging began once again.

Firemen shovelled away the final inches of earth, eventually revealing their target. Despite being stuck down the drain for more than 24 hours, Sadie was not keen to leave - as she still had the scent of her prey. Precariously stuck inches out of reach from the terrier was a rabbit.

The dog was eventually prised away and emerged unhurt. The firemen then remained to free the rabbit, which bounded off also without injury. A fire spokesman this morning joked: "Both the rabbit and dog are doing very well."

Sadie's owner, Maria Gildart, said: "Wayne had been out walking her when she disappeared. He had no idea what had happened until he heard her barking the following day. Fortunately she doesn't seem to have suffered from her ordeal."

A council spokesman added: "The cameras are usually used to investigate sewers - it is the first time we have ever used it for anything like this before."

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