A HINDHEAD dog lover has been reunited with her beloved terrier after a traumatic ordeal which lasted more than 36 hours.

Retired teacher Chris Langley feared that her 10-year-old dog Bonny would not survive, after she became trapped in a badger sett in Beacon Hill.

Her ordeal was compounded by waiting 24 hours before a rescue mission could begin.

But with the help of the Haslemere firefighters, a badger conservation group and the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), the adventurous dog was rescued at 11 pm on Tuesday, with little more than a few bumps and bruises.

BonnyÕs perilous underground adventure began on Monday when Mrs Langley was taking her and her brother Harvey for their walk at 8 am.

ÒAll of a sudden they got wind of something and just charged off,Ó she said.

Mrs Langley gave chase, but lost them.

ÒI know the area well, but after driving around for four hours there was still no sign of them,Ó she said.

She was searching near the badger sett in Beacon Hill at midday when Harvey appeared and led her to a hole where Mrs Langley heard a whimpering noise.

ÒI had already notified the police that the dog was missing, but then phoned the fire brigade to find out who I should contact,Ó she said.

Leading firefighter Ray Esher said: ÒWhen we arrived at 1-30 pm we couldnÕt see anything, but heard a faint noise.Ó

He explained that because badgers are a protected species, the firefighters couldnÕt simply dig Bonny out.

Ò We needed to get a licence from DEFRA first, and any kind of removal cannot begin until 24 hours after the dog was trapped,Ó he said.

ÒThe hope is that the dog might escape on its own without having to damage the sett.Ó

Mrs Langley stayed at the site to comfort Bonny until 10 pm. Friends and workers at a nearby childrenÕs activity centre also helped by talking to the dog and keeping watch.

The next day the licence was obtained, but could only be enforced if the dog was still making noises. Unfortunately the hole had gone silent overnight, and Mrs Langley feared the worst.

ÒI was concerned that she might have been attacked by a badger because itÕs close to the breeding season.Ó

Representatives from the West Sussex Badger Group and DEFRA were now on site hoping to hear from Bonny, and eventually, at 4-30 pm, she finally made a sound.

Haslemere Fire and Rescue were then called out again at 6-15 pm, to try and remove the dog. However, the greatest of care had to be used to avoid disturbing any badgers.

ÒThey were just marvellous,Ó Mrs Langley said of the firefighters. ÒThey very gently shaved off layers of soil from around the hole to see where the dog was.Ó

Under careful supervision from a DEFRA representative, it was a very long process, taking some five hours before she was spotted. Harvey was brought in at one point, to encourage Bonny to bark.

The final breakthrough came when the rescue team realised she might be trapped at a lower level in the set.

ÒAt around 11 pm a fireman shouted that he had found her and a very sandy bundle was brought out,Ó Mrs Langley said. ÒI felt absolutely relieved.Ó

Bonny was immediately taken to a duty vet in Midhurst, where she was diagnosed with an eye infection that had been caused by the soil.

At just gone midnight on Wednesday morning, Mrs Langley called the firefighters to tell them that Bonny was OK.

ÒI would also like to thank everyone else who helped,Ó she said. ÒThe man from DEFRA, the badger conservation group, and the activity centre people were all so helpful.Ó

A spokesman from DEFRA said a watch would be kept on the badger sett for the time being.

BonnyÕs eye infection is being treated and, aside from a few bald patches, she is doing well.

ÒShe was given rice and scrambled eggs for tea, and now the patient is asleep,Ó said Mrs Langley on Wednesday.

She said the terrier was quite mischievous, but had never done anything like this before.

ÒShe often gets the scent of a rabbit, but sheÕs usually gone for ten minutes, not 36 hours!Ó