Dog rescued after chasing rat up waste pipe in Oxford

Image source, Thames Water

Image caption, Olive was rescued from a waste pipe near a stream in Oxford

A dog was rescued almost 24 hours after it got stuck chasing a rat up a pipe.

Olive, a Bedlington terrier, was freed by Thames Water engineers after she pursued the rodent up an outfall pipe while on a walk in Florence Park, Oxford.

James Lewis and Jack Gale lifted manhole covers along the pipe after Olive's owner contacted the company.

Mr Lewis said it was an "emotional moment to get her out" and Olive was "bouncing around with excitement".

"Her owner had a tear in her eye, she was so thankful, so relieved. She said she hadn't slept all night," he said.

"I had a lump in my throat. It was a fantastic feeling as we'd both worked really hard."

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The engineers, more experienced in clearing fatbergs, were sent to find Olive on Saturday after she went missing the day before.

Mr Lewis tried crawling up the pipe but it was too narrow, so the pair spent two hours lifting the manhole covers.

Both men are classed as key workers and continue to work during the coronavirus pandemic.

Karen Nelson, regional network manager at Thames Water, said: "Now the team finds themselves in a new challenge which has not been experienced before... I am so grateful to James and Jack, and so proud of every member of the team."