Dog rescued from mudflats using sausage dangled from drone

A dog has been rescued from mudflats after search teams dangled a sausage from a drone.

Millie, a three-year-old Jack Russell, went missing in reed beds near Emsworth, Hampshire, on 13 January, and was eventually spotted from the air in a dangerous area of the mudflats.

Denmead Drone Search and Rescue Group launched the sausage after two days of previous rescue efforts failed.

Chris Taylor, from the volunteer group, described it as a "genius idea".

Millie's owner Emma Oakes said she had been "terrified" after her pet slipped the lead while on a walk and ran off.

She was spotted two hours later on the coastal mudflats at Langstone.

Denmead Drone Search and Rescue Group, which was formed three years ago to respond to missing pets and people, eventually located her using a drone.

Mr Taylor said: "The marshland was due to flood within hours so we had to quickly initiate a plan.

"Our drone pilot thought of tying food to lure her away - so after a risk assessment we decided to give it a try.

"She was lured about 300m over to the edge of the mudflats on to higher ground, where we knew she was safe."

However, after eating half the sausage she was not caught and escaped into woodland near the A3.

After two further days on the run she was spotted three miles (5km) away near Cosham Fire Station and eventually "came bounding over" to the rescue team.

"It was an unusual rescue - they aren't normally this complicated," Mr Taylor said.

"It was very difficult to navigate the area. The drone was worth its weight in gold in this case."

Ms Oakes said Millie was well, despite her ordeal.

"What they do as volunteers is absolutely fantastic," she said, adding: "I can't thank them enough."

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