Rescuers who cut down five trees in a bid to free a runaway terrier at a former colliery said the released hound looked like she'd completed a day's work down the pits.

Brilliant white Bella was left black and sooty after a two-hour operation to retrieve her from an abandoned badger's sett at Betteshanger Park near Deal.

Bella being rescued from the badger's sett

The 11-year-old terrier had run away from her owner at 9.30am this morning and was located by another dog, her son, about a quarter of a mile away. But the hound was stuck in the sett with sand-like spoil falling in on her.

Workers at Betteshanger Park were drawn in to help around 2.30pm, and up to ten volunteers worked for two hours to remove five trees and debris blocking their path to the sett.

Video footage shows a shaken Bella wagging her tail as she is eventually freed and re-united with her owners and fellow four-legged friend.

The Park's estates and facilities manager, Dean Meadows, 26, led the operation.

He said: "There was an old tree laid across the badger sett, blocking the entrance so we used a chainsaw to remove that.

"We had to remove five sycamore trees in total, with a team of five or six people helping to clear the way."

The team also called in Mick Oatridge from Crushingtons Ltd in Northwall Road, Deal, who attended with his digger to help dig away the spoil.

Mr Meadows said: "We scrapped it back slowly. We were also digging with shovels and our hands."

They also had a tractor from Intercrop Ltd on standby with a hedge cutter if required.

Mr Meadows said: "We couldn't believe it when the owner said she was supposed to be brilliant white. She looked like a miner who'd done a day down the pits.

"She had gone into the badger sett head first and couldn't turn around to get out.

"The old coal soil which is like sand was falling into the sett around her.

"When we got her out, her eyes were full of spoil and she was very shaken.

"Everyone was very happy and her owner was very grateful. She had a tear in her eye and couldn't express her thanks enough."

Mr Meadows has worked at the park for nine and a half years.

He said: "We've herded cows, landed helicopters in emergencies, dealt with general first aid like broken ribs and punctured lungs by mountain bikers and recently helped police vacate a travelling community, but never this.

"Every day is different. It's an interesting place to work.

"We always pull together as a team. We're always willing to help."

Those involved were Kieron Driver, Craig Robertson, Dominic Plant, Reegan Able, Steven Dyer, Mick Oatridge, Matt Solley, Dean Machim and Kevin Payne.

Was Bella your dog? Please get in touch via eperkins@the kmgroup.co.uk or call 01304 365526.

Escaped animals, unusual finds and news from the RSPCA can all be found here.

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