A DOG who survived being trapped in a rabbit hole for four days was saved by the bell.

Henry, a seven-year-old Border Terrier, vanished in fields behind his home in Prestbury on September 14.

After a three-day search, desperate owner Beverley Leonard called Cheshire fire service which sent its animal rescue unit.

Despite using specialist cameras to search the rabbit holes Henry could not be seen or heard.

Then Beverley remembered the mischievous mutt only ever barked at her front door bell.

She raced back home, ripped the bell off the wall, and using an amplifier, spent three hours in the dark playing the noise down every rabbit hole in the dark.

Eventually, Henry did respond and firefighters returned to the field to dig him free.

Beverley, 47, was walking Henry and his girlfriend Elu near Heybridge Hill in Prestbury when the drama unfolded.

She said: “Henry shot out into the field and disappeared down a hole. We called him and searched and searched but couldn’t find any trace of him.

“The trouble is, Henry doesn’t bark much so we couldn’t hear him at all and just didn’t know where he was or how he was. I just had a very strong feeling that he was somewhere in that field.”

Beverley called at Macclesfield Fire Station for advice and was told to call the RSPCA, who then asked for fire and rescue assistance.

The animal rescue unit from Knutsford Fire Station was mobilised and used a ‘snake eye’ camera which is for looking into confined spaces.

The crew spent several hours in the fields before calling off the search.

Beverley said: “It must have been just about the last hole in the last field, and we were about to give up, when we heard him.

“His barking was very faint at first and then got louder and louder as he was obviously making his way as near to the surface as he could.

“The fire crew had to saw through a holly bush and dig until they got to Henry. When they got him up it was like we’d won the World Cup. Everyone was cheering and so happy that Henry was fine.”

Beverley is delighted that Henry is home, safe and well with Elu, another Border Terrier, and is full of praise for Henry’s heroes.

She said: “They were so helpful and responded really quickly.

“Everyone of them was incredibly sympathetic and they didn’t want to leave even when we thought all was lost.

“We couldn’t have saved him without everything those firefighters did.

“It is a miracle Henry survived.”

Macclesfield Fire Station manager Stewart Forshaw said: “We were delighted to be able to help with Henry’s horrid adventure and were all so pleased with the outcome.

“We do attend animal rescues when we’re called in by the RSPCA or when there is a risk that people could get injured attempting a rescue themselves.”