A BELOVED family dog was discovered six feet underground — but still alive — after a 33 hour search in Heaton Park.

Now the owners of Patterdale Terrier Norman have thanked the rescue team and the hundreds of members of the public who helped to save their precious pooch.

Dog owner Adam Yates was walking Norman on Sunday morning when he disappeared in woodland at the Prestwich park.

When he realised Norman was missing, the father-of-two, aged 48, immediately began a search of the woods with his wife Katrina, aged 44, and their two children Molly, aged 21, and Megan, aged 18.

Mr Yates, who lives in Poppythorn Lane, Prestwich, said: “When I saw there were rabbit holes in the woods I didn’t think he would have gone down one because although he’s a rescue dog who has been used for hunting before, he’s nothing like that anymore.

“If he pokes his head down a hole and sees or hears something moving then he runs a mile.”

Molly and Megan turned to Facebook to ask for help and Molly’s post received almost 5,000 shares.

Mr Yates, who works as a plasterer, believed if his dog was left for a few more hours, he would not have survived.

He said: “We couldn’t believe the response we received on Facebook, the park was absolutely heaving and we spent the whole day searching for him until they closed the gates.

“We asked anyone we passed in the park to keep an eye out for Norman but it was unbelievable how many people already knew and had actually come to help search.

“Once the park closed we all headed home and my wife and daughters were back at the gates the next morning waiting for them to open.

“We passed one man and his son who came out with their Patterdale to look for Norman and I can’t thank him enough, he recommended getting in touch with the Fell and Moorland Working Terrier Club, who sent three heroes and a dog all the way from Burnley.”

The volunteers used another dog with a tracking device on its collar, to send down the rabbit hole in the woods.

Mr Yates added: “These guys dug and dug like machines and even though my hope was fading they never gave up and worked harder and harder.

“They were convinced he was down a hole and he was – 45 feet deep into a hole and six feet underground.

“We are all so grateful to everyone who helped and did their part and can't thank everyone enough. We are a family again.

“The community spirit was unbelievable and it truly restored my faith seeing so many people trying to help find Norman.”

Norman, who was rescued covered in mud, is now recovering at home after losing some of his hair.