A CURIOUS pet pooch was rescued after it got stuck for almost 24 hours in a pipe in Oxford.
Thames Water engineers saved the fluffy Bedlington terrier named Olive who got trapped after chasing a rodent into an outfall waste pipe near a stream during a walk in Florence Park, Cowley, on Friday.
After being unable to find her that day by the following morning, the dog’s owner called Thames Water and engineers James Lewis and Jack Gale - more used to clearing fatbergs than furballs - were dispatched to the scene to tackle the unusual blockage.
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Mr Lewis initially tried crawling up the pipe himself, but it got too narrow, so the pair spent the next two hours lifting manhole covers along the pipe before finally finding Olive and lifting her out to safety.
The engineers said Olive was 'wet and muddy', but otherwise in good health.
Mr Lewis said: "We have both got dogs ourselves, so it was such an emotional moment to get her out.
"I had a lump in my throat.
"It was a fantastic feeling as we had both worked really hard.
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"We also had to be 100 per cent professional - if we had shown fear or anxiety, that would have made the situation a lot worse for the owner.
"Olive was bouncing around with excitement when she was finally free, it made our day.
"Her owner had a tear in her eye, she was so thankful, so relieved - she said she had not slept all night."
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