A TERRIER who was trapped under granite rocks on Dartmoor for 24 hours had a lucky escape after being rescued by Okehampton firefighters at the weekend. On Sunday, March 27, firefighters were called out to the incident between Branscombe Loaf and Shilston Tor, at around 2.15pm. A woman from the Tavistock area had taken her dog out for a walk on the moor on the previous day. While on the walk, three-year-old terrier Pip had become trapped under granite rocks. With a group of her friends, the woman spent all Saturday afternoon, evening and Sunday morning attempting to rescue her dog. Okehampton station officer Ian Donovan said because the concerned friends had dug so much ground out, the granite rocks had started to move, putting Pip in even greater danger. At this point, the alarm was raised and Okehampon?s two fire crews were called to the scene. The firefighters made the area safe before beginning excavation work until a tiny pothole was created. This hole was large enough for one member of the crew to crawl along and reach the dog and carefully bring it back to safety. Mr Donovan said it was an ?unstable and treacherous? operation working in such a confined area on the side of a steep hill going down towards the river. ?It was extremely difficult and we were very lucky to get the dog out,? he added. The crew were at the scene for more than four and a half hours before Pip was freed at around 7pm. Pip was then examined by an RSPCA vet, who said the dog was remarkably unscathed despite the ordeal. l A timber fire had to be extinguished by Okehampton firefighters over Easter due to its proximity to the railway embankment at Sampford Courtenay. On Monday, March 28, between 4pm and 5pm, two fire crews from Okehampton were called to Liddcott Farm at Sampford Courtenay. A large area of mature trees which had been cut down had caught fire with the risk of spreading to the nearby railway embankment. Using mechanical vehicles, the timber was moved to an adjacent piece of open ground and extinguished by the firefighters.
