Hopes of rescuing a dog trapped in a badger sett for almost five days are diminishing.
The terrier cross was lost down the sett in St Osyth on Sunday and has not been seen since - despite exhaustive efforts to find him.
His owner, who comes from Hertfordshire and who has put up a reward for anyone who finds his pet, was staying at a holiday park in the village at the weekend and has been back every day since hoping to find the dog alive.
Yesterday, the man contacted firefighters at Clacton, who went out twice in a bid to locate the animal.
Sub officer Costa Olymbios said: "The RSPCA were contacted and the owner had to get special permission from the Defra because badger setts are protected."
"An inspector came down from Bury St Edmunds and the man now has an order which will allow him to dig up the land - provided there is enough evidence to do so."
Firefighters went to the land, which cannot be identified for fear of giving away the location of the sett, yesterday morning but they could not find any sign of the terrier.
"We have advised the owner to go back today and check again and we will go back if there are any hopeful signs," said sub officer Olymbios.
Published Thursday October 31, 2002
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