THEY say every dog has his day – but for one Tottington pooch, his day was a little more adventurous than most.

Two-year-old Patterdale terrier Chester, who lives with the Chapell family in Spring Close, vanished down a disused pipe near Tower Farm.

Caron Chapell and her husband Martin, who adopted rescue dog Chester in March last year, let him off the lead on February 17, only for him to run off.

After entering a disused pipe, around a mile-and-a half from their home, he did not come back out and when Caron called him, she could not see, or hear, her beloved pet.

Bury Council highways department inserted some 20 metre-long rods into the pipe to see if Chester was stuck, but there was no sign of him.

After six hours of searching, Caron and Martin admitted defeat and returned home when it began to get dark.

But, at around 6.30pm, the family heard a bark and discovered Chester waiting outside their front door, much to the relief and delight of children Lisa, aged 11, and Ethan aged nine.

Caron said: “I was dreading having to tell Lisa and Ethan that we had lost Chester.

“The thought of him suffering and trapped underground somewhere was too much to bear.

“We still have no idea where the exit to the pipe is.

“What amazed me was that he was completely unharmed.

“He just found his own way home.

“We know he didn’t come back out the same way he went in because we left some treats at the entrance to the pipe and the next day they were still untouched.”

She added: “We would like to thank Judith Kelly, who we knew of through the Tottington Wildlife Watch Group, for publicising the search through her Tottington Life Twitter account.”

Martin has now blocked the entrance to the pipe so the same thing cannot happen again.