Dog rescued after plunging 80ft down mineshaft in Ceredigion

Springador Ruby was taken to the vet with a small cut in her back leg but was otherwise unharmed

A dog was rescued by firefighters in Ceredigion after falling 80ft (25m) down a disused mineshaft.

Dylan James, 36, from Penrhyn Coch was walking the dog late on Sunday afternoon when she chased a rabbit and disappeared into a dense fern hedge.

The nine-month old springador called Ruby ran through a hole in the fence around the shaft and fell down the tunnel, Mr James said.

"As she went in, all I heard was her yelping," Mr James said.

He called the fire service who arrived around 20:00 BST but they could not abseil down in the dark to rescue the dog.

Fire crews put a camera down the shaft to check on the dog

Mr James stayed with her until 02:00 the next day and then returned early that morning with specialist fire crews from Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue.

"There was no sound. We were worried she had died," he said.

The 20-strong team sent a camera down to check on the dog, who moved her head as soon as her name was called.

Members of the Fire Service's All Wales Urban Search and Rescue Team (USAR) carried out checks before abseiling down

"We were so happy. There were tears upon tears upon tears then," Mr James said.

A firefighter was lowered into the shaft and rescued the dog, who belongs to Mr James' fiancé.

Ruby was brought up in an animal rescue bag around 14:00 on Monday and reunited with her relieved owner.

"She was a bit unsteady but when she saw me and my partner she started wagging her tail," Mr James said.

Dylan James and his fiancé were reunited with an exhausted Ruby more than 19 hours after she fell down the shaft

The dog was taken to the vet with a small cut in her back leg but was otherwise unharmed.

"It was brilliant," Mr James said, thanking the fire crews. "They were all fantastic."