Epping firefighters spent three hours working to rescue two curious canines who got stuck in a pipe after chasing a badger.

Amy and Bud, had been chasing a badger through the undergrowth when they became trapped in the 15 metre pipe in Mutton Row, Ongar.

Their worried owner, who had left home for a short walk without her phone, flagged down a passing runner who used a specialist app to help Essex Fire and Rescue crews find their remote location.

The app, what3words, is a map broken down into trillions of 3m by 3m squares, each with a unique three-word address to help pinpoint your location accurately.

On arrival, firefighters worked with the landowner to dig the dogs out of the pipe.

Using chimney rods, small tools and the landowner’s digger, the team cleared a path for the dogs to crawl out.

The two Jack Russells were safely returned to their owner by 1:21pm having been stuck for almost four hours.

Station Manager Evan Jellis said: “This wasn’t a straightforward job for us, it was a slow process to dig away at the mud that had fallen either side of the pipe to rescue the dogs.

“It was hard work but with some quick thinking, we were able to rescue the dogs safely.”

Essex County Fire and Rescue Service has installed the what3words app on all of its tablets in fire engines.

Andrea MacAlister, head of community safety at Essex County Fire and Rescue Service said: “what3words provides a precise and incredibly simple way to talk about the location you are in. Using the three word address gives the caller a simple way to describe precisely where they are so crews can get to them quickly."

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