Border collie Pip had her own daughter Tess and four firefighters to thank for her rescue after she got trapped down a rabbit hole.

The six-year-old former working sheep dog rushed off down a rabbit hole on land behind Lancing College on Saturday morning while enjoying a walk with her owner Jean Kay.

Jean, of Queens Place, Shoreham, said: "I was walking her and her two-year-old daughter Tess behind Lancing College.

"Pip just vanished. She shot off up the valley and I thought she had gone up to the sheep."

However, when Jean and Tess reached the spot where they thought their companion would be, there was no sign of her.

Then they heard a gunshot and Jean said: "She is very gun shy. I thought she would run back to the car."

There was no sign of Pip and Jean realised that she had probably gone down a rabbit hole.

She asked Tess to find Pip and immediately Tess scooted to a hole and began wagging her tail.

Jean put her head down the hole and could hear Pip barking but it appeared that she could not climb out.

Jean called on the help of her sister Barbara, who travelled from Shoreham with a spade and pickaxe.

The pair dug into the chalk for two hours but could not reach the dog.

They became increasingly concerned Pip might die so called the fire service.

A crew from Shoreham went to the scene. Firefighters Richard Comber, Neil Wiseman and Trevor Peacock joined the task of digging Pip out.

After another hour they reached the cowering canine.

Sub officer Pete Wyatt said: "When we reached the dog, one of us felt to make sure it was okay and then two firefighters dragged the dog out by the rear end. It was a job well done."

Jean said: "She seemed pretty happy to be out but she wanted to go straight back in.

"I'm going to have to keep her on the lead. The firefighters were wonderful."