A terrier chasing rabbits became trapped in a drainage pipe for more than five hours.

Sam, a Jack Russell terrier could be heard from inside the pipe by his worried owner, Jacqui Tingle.

Firefighters dug trenches around the 30ft long pipe to try and free the pet.

The drama unfolded when Miss Tingle took Sam for a walk on Peachfield Common, in Malvern Wells, at 6am yesterday.

" I let him off the lead and realised he was missing after 10 minutes," said the 34-year-old, from Wychbold, near Droitwich.

"I was calling him but he didn't come back, then a man said he had heard him barking down a pipe.

"I didn't know what to do, I was getting frantic as I was calling Sam and he wasn't coming out.

"The man who was helping me suggested I rang the fire brigade, so I had to go home as I didn't have my mobile phone on me."

"When I came back, the fire brigade were here and were brilliant," said Miss Tingle who works as a scientific officer in the scientific services department at Worcestershire County Council.

"I'll be taking Sam for a check-up at the vets, but he seems fine, just a bit thirsty."

One fire engine from Malvern Fire Station and an emergency tender from Worcester were sent out to rescue Sam.

Sound seeking equipment was used to locate him before shovels and crowbars were used to dig him out.

"The crews worked extremely hard under difficult conditions because it was raining," said Ian Seward, station commander at Malvern fire station.

"The dog ran down a freshwater drainage channel which was 9in in diameter.

"We excavated significant trenches to get the dog out."