A tunnelling terrier called Arnie sparked a rescue operation when he was trapped for 24 hours under five feet of topsoil.

Emergency services were called to free him after the hole he dug collapsed on top of him.

Owner Lynne Pullen heard her two-year-old pet barking from underneath the heap at their home, Phipps Farm, Layer Breton.

She was not strong enough to shovel him out and yesterday called in the RSPCA, which alerted the fire brigade.

Five Colchester firefighters clawed away some of the soil to locate Arnie, but he was trapped under a piece of pipe. Next they shored up surrounding earth so it did not collapse on him.

They then spent 90 minutes shovelling away before they could free Arnie, who promptly shook himself off and carried on as normal.

Mrs Pullen, who has two other dogs, said: "We were so worried when he didn't come in at night then the next morning I heard him barking and realised he was in a hole underneath a big heap of soil.

"I felt terrible, there was nothing I could do. He was upside down and the tunnel had caved in on him.The firefighters were marvellous."

Insp Jim Farr, of the RSPCA, said: "He seemed quite happy and not too bothered by the ordeal."

Mr Farr said terriers instinctively liked digging holes but added: "There was no way he could have got out. The hole he dug to get in collapsed behind him and there was just a very thin shaft left."

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