This is the incredible moment a terrified spaniel swallowed by a 50ft sinkhole leapt was winched to safety by firefighters. Gemma Lampard was out walking six dogs in Farningham Woods in Dartford, Kent, on Thursday May 4 when she heard a dog desperately barking for help from down a fenced-off sinkhole.
The 35-year-old contacted Kent Fire and Rescue who arrived at the scene and used a drone to see if they could spot the petrified pooch. A firefighter was eventually lowered into the hole to bring her back up and a video shows the pup's miraculous rescue as she's lifted out and petted by relieved bystanders.
Dog lover Gemma believes she saved the mutt's life and described the discovery as 'right place, right time' as she rarely walks the dogs in that area. Gemma, from Greenhithe, Kent, said: "It's just so lucky that I was there. I wasn't going to go and if I'd known the area better, I would have avoided the sinkhole because of the dogs.
"I decided to go because if you walk through the fields you can get to the woods and I thought the dogs wouldn't get too hot. One of the dogs was sticking its head through a fence, I thought it must have been a ball but I heard barking. I sent a video to a dog-walking group asking what to do.
"I called Kent Fire and Rescue and the RSPCA who said it could be a badger sett because they can sound like dogs barking but I knew it wasn't a badger. It was a sheer drop so I couldn't see anything. It was open at the top then it just dropped and went quite narrow, it was about the size of a car.
"It was fenced off but she must have got through it. The dog was in distress and wouldn't be able to get out on its own. The rescue team came and one abseiled down with a bag to get her.
"I could hear them talking on the radio as he was down there and he said it was about 15 metres deep. When she came up, she was terrified. She was panting, legs shaking, red eyes. She was so relieved.
"I was expecting her to have broken legs because it was quite a drop but she was alright. It was right place, right time. She could have died."
The RSPCA scanned the dog's microchip but the contact details were out of date so she'll be with the local dog warden for seven to ten days and rehomed if she isn't claimed. Vicki Hudson from The Missing Paw Team, who support owners of stolen or lost dogs, helped advise Gemma on what to do when she heard the dog barking.
The 52-year-old suspects that the dog was down the hole for a day and says there was 'absolutely no chance' of it getting out without help. Vicki, from Westerham, Kent, said: "Gemma put a video of a dog barking in an empty field and wasn't sure what to do. We went to assess the situation to make sure it wasn't a badger sett.
"It was a 50-foot hole. It's been there for about two years and it's fenced off but the dog must have got under. There was absolutely no way it was going to get out unassisted. The rescue team put a drone up to see if they could see the dog and pumped air in the hole in case there was gas so their officers would be able to breathe.
"She was possibly only down there for the day but we don't know. She was terrified, she seemed relieved and happy when they brought her up. She had quite a big drink." A Kent Fire and Rescue spokesman said: "Kent Fire and Rescue Service was called to reports of a dog stuck at the bottom of a deep sinkhole in Farningham Woods, Dartford.
"The animal rescue unit was sent to the scene, as well as the technical rescue unit and a line rescue crew. The RSPCA also attended. "Firefighters used line rescue equipment to lower themselves into the hole and retrieve the dog safely.
"If you own a pet, always make sure to keep tabs on them when out and about, and if they do get into trouble and need rescuing from height or depth, don’t try to do it yourself. If it’s an emergency, call 999 for help." South East RSPCA have been contacted for comment.
