A beloved family pet had to be rescued by firefighters after getting stuck in an underground water pipe while on a walk in Farnham Royal.

Mickie the four-year-old Sprocker Spaniel became trapped inside a 200ft long steel wastewater pipe that was three feet below ground after going missing on a walk in the fields at the back of Kemsley Chase on April 29.

After his desperate owners searched for two hours to find him, he was eventually found by another family dog, described as his “best friend” Max – who found where Mickie had managed to disappear into the water pipe.

Mickie’s worried owner Fred Rogers said: “We could hear him crying but could not reach him. Upon calling our absolutely amazing emergency services, who are always there on the front line, a very professional chief officer Pete Skinner very quickly assessed the situation calming everyone down and reassuring me and my family that everything would be fine and that they would get him out. We are so grateful to him.”

Three urban search and rescue teams from Aylesbury were deployed, and using special life detection equipment, firefighters were able to locate Mickie in the middle of the pipe – and used spades, shovels and a mini-digger to get down to the pipe, before smashing it to rescue the grateful pup.

Mr Rogers said the rescue mission made him feel “so very proud to be British” and thanked the hardworking teams who “unquestionably saved Mickie’s life”.

He added: “[The] incredible team of professionals took control of the situation. We would like to personally thank Mark Allison, David Otter, Milly Bowler, Greg O’Neill and Jamie Ewers.

“All of our very front line services - our fantastic NHS, our national police force throughout the UK, and our Fire & Rescue Services, which we all take for granted, not in a bad way, we just live in our own little worlds and naturally assume they will be there for us.

“It is not until times like we are living in today, that you really begin to appreciate how fortunate we are. To have these incredibly professional people a phone call away, in times like now - these extraordinary people, are there for each and every one of us in our hour of needs.”

Aylesbury Fire Station Red Watch said they were “delighted” to assist in reuniting Mickie with his “beloved” family.