AN off-duty police officer has been hailed a hero after resuscitating a dog that stopped breathing when it choked on a ball.

Kayleigh Rickell said she had been marking her labrador’s sixth birthday on Sunday with her father, Paul Hartley, with a walk on Tang Hall field, York, when it became apparent the dog did not want to drop a small ball that had been thrown for him.

She said: “So my dad could get him to drop it, he threw him a stick hoping he would grab that instead. Silly as he is, he picked up the stick as well as the ball, and the ball became lodged in his throat.”

As the dog collapsed and began to choke, it became clear the 5cm diameter ball was blocking its airway.

After frantic efforts by Mr Hartley and other dog walkers to remove the ball failed, a police officer who lives near the park was called to the scene.

Mrs Rickell said as the policeman tried to extract the ball Larry died - his muscles relaxed and there was no movement at all - allowing the police officer to remove it and carry out CPR.

“Larry finally came round panting very quickly,” she added. “He was taken straight to the vets to be put on oxygen. He is still in shock, but doing okay.”

Mrs Rickell said she had given the police officer, who has not been named, some beers as a token of appreciation.

She said: “We are so thankful to the policeman. We are forever in debt and cannot thank him enough. He is a hero.”

Mrs Rickell described Larry as an “average, greedy, nutty, loving dog” and said he had been playing with a ball that was too small, and has urged pet owners to make sure the toys they give their pets are not small enough for them to choke on.

In response to the incident, she has set up a Facebook group called Larry the Lab initiative, to allow people to share stories about incidents where dogs have got into trouble playing with toys or treats and to warn each other of the dangers.

A Kennel Club spokesman said it was important to select toys for dogs carefully, as some may present splintering and choking hazards, and for owners to avoid giving sticks, gold and squash balls.

He said: “All these things can easily get stuck in the throat and cause damage or even death. If a chew becomes too small after a prolonged period of chewing, do not take the risk and throw the chew away.”