Firefighters carry out long highly-complex operation to rescue terrified dog trapped under a barn on the edge of the Harborough district

Firefighters carried out a long highly-complex operation to rescue a terrified dog trapped under a barn on the edge of Harborough early today (Wednesday).

Crews battled for almost four hours through the night to save the whimpering Jack Russell stuck under the large shed in Covert Lane, Scraptoft.

They could hear the poor terrier crying in fear as they fought to reach it at the semi-rural location on the eastern outskirts of Leicester.

A fire engine from Leicester’s Eastern fire station and a technical rescue crew raced to the scene after the dog’s stunned owner raised the alarm just after 10.30pm last night (Tuesday).

The fire service’s technical rescue team were quickly drafted in to use their specialist underground camera equipment to help pin down the animal.

As well as the high-tech kit, firefighters turned to good old-fashioned muscle as they dug out a huge hole under the outbuilding with pick axes, spades and shovels.

“Liaising with Technical Rescue Team, restrictive space camera equipment in use, further external excavation taking place,” said the fire service as the operation went on deep into the early hours.

“Digging out still in progress, Technical Rescue using concrete drill and disc cutter to gain access through concrete floor.

“Internal and external excavation continuing, cutting and digging tools in use, dog can still be heard under the outstanding.”

The shocked Jack Russell was finally located by relieved if exhausted firefighters at about 2.30am today and freed from underneath the barn.

And the fortunate dog is not thought to have needed veterinary treatment as it was reunited with its overjoyed owner in the early hours.

“It was a tough, very tricky job for us.

“But the dog was rescued and the story has a very happy ending we are glad to say,” said a fire service controller today.