THERE was no brandy for Rufus the St Bernard after Accrington firefighters rescued HIM from the Leeds Liverpool canal!

The twelve-stone dog was left clinging to a ledge on the side of the canal after jumping over a wall at the back of the Albion Hotel in Whalley Road, Clayton-le-Moors.

It took 12 firefighters 30 minutes to haul Rufus to safety. Owner, Michaela Symonds-Vigne, landlady of the Albion, said: "I offered Rufus a brandy but he turned his nose up!"

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.