FIREFIGHTERS had to wear protective clothing when they rescued a snapping dog from the canal in Burnley.

People out walking their dog on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal towpath near Marlborough Street saw the frightened animal struggling in the water and telephoned for the Fire and Rescue Service.

Station Officer Paul Harvey said: "We located it near to the banking at the back of the Lambert Howarth factory.

"It was an ungrateful little rascal to say the least, snarling and snapping and resisting several attempts to get it out."

Eventually firefighters wearing protective gloves managed to reach down and lift it out.

Station Officer Harvey said: "We couldn't keep hold of it and it ran off."

The terrier-type mongrel appeared to be unharmed.

Station Officer Harvey said: "It is probably a local animal so presumably it ran home.

"We don't know how it came to be in the water."