A WALKER was rescued from the bottom of a 50ft well on Sunday morning. The man was walking with his dog and a friend near the Princess Helena College in Temple Dinsley, Preston, at around 9am when his dog spotted a rabbit and gave chase. During the pursui

A WALKER was rescued from the bottom of a 50ft well on Sunday morning.

The man was walking with his dog and a friend near the Princess Helena College in Temple Dinsley, Preston, at around 9am when his dog spotted a rabbit and gave chase.

During the pursuit the dog got through the boundary fencing which surrounded the well but fell down the 50ft shaft.

On hearing his dog yelping, the man shinned his way down a pipe to the bottom to try to rescue the animal.

However, on reaching the base he was unable to climb back up and his friend called the Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue service.

A crew from Hitchin attended the incident, as did a specialist rope rescue team from Hemel Hempstead.

One officer, secured to a harness, was lowered down to rescue the man and both were brought to the surface unhurt at around 11am. Unfortunately the dog died.

After the incident, a spokesman for the fire and rescue service offered the following piece of safety advice: "In this case the rescued man was lucky that he had a friend with him who could alert the fire and rescue service but the outcome could have been very different.

"It is always best to walk with a friend. However, if you are planning to take a trip on your own to an isolated place, make sure that you tell someone where you are going and that you keep a mobile phone on you at all times.

"Also, if a friend or a pet is in danger, call the emergency services for help as it may not be safe to rescue them yourself.