FIREFIGHTERS used a succulent steak to tempt a trapped dog out of a crevice at a Bury quarry.

Officers battled against fading light and the threat of a possible rock collapse to free the pet, which was trapped close to Lowes Park Golf Club.

After struggling for 75 minutes, they enticed the dog out at around 5.20pm on Saturday (Sept 29), using a piece of meat prepared at the golf club.

Station Officer Paul Myserscough, of Bury fire station, explained: "The dog was in a deep, underground crevice and you couldn't get a man down there.

"It had come in via a different route and got stuck at a point where it couldn't turn round and re-trace its steps.

"The only way we could get it out was from where we were. It was a very slow process."

Mr Myserscough described the rescue operation, conducted with hand lanterns, as "quite dangerous" at times.

"There were tons of rock above us and if we'd made the hole any bigger, we could have weakened the foundations and risked it coming down on us."

The dog, a mongrel, had been wearing a collar but with no name tag. It was none the worse for its ordeal and after being given a drink of water, was allowed to run off.

"It had probably been chasing a rabbit," added Station Officer Myserscough.

Paying tributes to his colleagues who were involved in the rescue, he concluded: "Everything went well. It was good team work."