Alive and digging... Jack Russell gets out of a hole lot of trouble

Determined Jack disappeared after chasing a rabbit into a hole while out walking with owner Erika Toutenhoofd and her two other dogs.

Erika, 40, and husband Carl, 41, returned to the spot where Jack was last seen for days after he vanished but each time their search ended in vain.

The couple, who run the Spread Eagle pub in Penistone, near Barnsley, had given up hope of ever seeing Jack again.

But then a friend, Louise Bedford, 33, was out walking her five dogs when she heard a whimpering noise and went to investigate.

She said: “I saw a rabbit hole and took a closer look and I was stunned when I saw Jack inside.

“I started to dig him out and finally managed to grab him. He just collapsed in my arms and I carried him back to the pub and told staff to find Erika.”

Ms Toutenhoofd said: “It was obvious he had spent all that time digging his way out but had just run out of steam.

“I don’t know how he managed to survive for so long without food or water.

“We took him to a vet. He was suffering from severe dehydration and he was given glucose but he is almost back to normal, although he may have to have one of his eyes removed because it has developed ulcers through being underground for all that time.

“I will be keeping him on a lead from now on.”