Fire crews rescued a seven-week-old Working Cocker Spaniel in Newcastle on 21 May after it fell from a first-floor yard and became wedged in a narrow gap between two properties on Main Street.

The puppy, named Maple, had squeezed through a barricade on the terrace and fallen, landing on accumulated garden cuttings that cushioned her drop into a space approximately six inches wide.

Breeder Dave Hempsey was alerted by his brother, who came into the living room and told him there was a problem. Looking down, Hempsey saw the confined space and considered either breaking through the wall of his shop below or calling emergency services.

He dialled 999 and two crews from the local fire station responded. They arrived and devised a plan to retrieve the animal without further injury.

The rescue was successful due in part to the cushioning of the cuttings, which had built up between the Hempsey property and the adjoining restaurant. Hempsey described the firefighters as brilliant and said he felt indebted to them.

Maple was due to move to her new owners soon. Hempsey said he would need to keep a very close eye on her, describing the puppy’s adventurous nature.