A FAMILY has been reunited with its lost dog after sterling work by the Swaledale Fell Rescue Organisation.

Duke, a springer spaniel, had been underground for more than 100 hours after falling 10ft down a shaft in a deep gorge.

He went missing last week during a walk in Wensleydale with John and Elaine Nuttall and their children Josh, 12, and 11-year-old Sophie.

The family, from Rossendale in Lancashire, were staying at the Yorkshire Dales Caravan Park near Leyburn.

They searched for three days to find him, retracing their steps, contacting the police and dog wardens and placing notices in local shops.

Mr Nuttall said: "He'd never been missing before and the children were resigned to losing him.

"Then on the Friday I thought I heard him whining when I was at Whitfield Gill, but I couldn't pinpoint the exact location."

He called the fell rescue team who began searching on Saturday night, resumed at first light on Sunday and finally found Duke in the gill near Askrigg village.

Rescue worker Paul Denning said: "We took an incredible amount of gear with us, lugged it down to the entrance of the cave and someone went down and found the dog. It was looking a little bit thin and sorry for itself, but it drank about two litres of water and some dog biscuits which perked its spirits up."

Duke is now safely back with the family, who have resumed their holiday.

Mr Nuttall said: "I'm really grateful to the Swaledale rescue team. They're a great bunch.