Marley's gate escape thanks to Wigan firefighters

Rachel King and her three-year-old cockapoo Marley were chatting to a friend outside her home in Lower Ince last Saturday afternoon when the dog found himself in a difficult situation.

Possibly looking for the dogs that lived at the house, Marley put his head through a metal ring in the garden gate - and got stuck fast.

Rachel, who lives in Spring View, said: “I had already pulled him back once because he got through the bigger bit of the gate. He then got his head stuck in the smaller part and was trying to get out, but he was pushing on his windpipe.”

Unable to free Marley, Rachel and friend Alison Gorner felt they had no choice but to ring 999. A fire crew quickly arrived on Laburnum Avenue and set to work trying to help Marley.

Rachel, 26, who is an enablement support worker for Wigan Council, said: “They came in less than 10 minutes. They cut the gate, prised it open and got him out.

“He was fine afterwards, He was panicking a bit at first, but as soon as he got out, he was jumping about and wagging his tail.”

While Marley has previously run away from his walker, it was the first time he had found himself in a situation as dramatic as this.

But Rachel says the firefighters did a great job of rescuing him and took it all in their stride.

They were even happy to pose for photographs with Marley afterwards, before returning to the

station.

“I don’t know how we would have got him out without them,” she said.