Dog stuck in drain for four days, full report
The rescue operation that freed a dog trapped underground for four days.
First, her owner hired a mechanical digger, then firefighters pitched in.
The full report from Sangeeta Kandola.
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Fire service: 'Delighted that it has a happy ending'
A Jack Russell was rescued after spending four days stuck in an underground drain pipe. Buckinghamshire Fire Service station manager Doug Gruchy said:
"Lulu's owner had organised her own search, but the situation was in danger of becoming hazardous. We took the decision to carry out this rescue because of our concern for the safety of her search party as well as for Lulu’s welfare. We are obviously delighted that it has had a happy ending.”
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Dog rescued after four days stuck in underground tunnel
A dog has been rescued after spending four days trapped in an underground drainage tunnel in Buckinghamshire after the owner hired a digger to get her out.
The Jack Russell ran down the disused pipe in Dorney as the owner Gail Fraiser took her for a walk. Ms Fraiser called the RSPCA when Lulu failed to return. The animal charity advised her if the dog could be heard barking the likelihood was that she would find her way out.
However Ms Fraiser opted to hire a digger after the barking continued but Lulu was nowhere to be seen.
The fire and rescue service intervened after becoming concerned that Ms Fraiser and her friends were at risk from injuring themselves, after trying to rescue Lulu since Friday.
They launched a six-hour operation to rescue the Jack Russell using the digger and shovels to dig down 8ft below ground.
The firefighters then broke into the drain before freeing Lulu from her four-days of being trapped.
The entrances to the pipe have now been closed off to prevent other animals from becoming stuck.
HS2 campaigners appeal for £100,000 to fight scheme
by Mike Pearse
Campaigners fighting the new high speed rail line from London to Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester have launched an emergency plea for £100,000 to pay for a High Court appeal.
They lost all but one Judicial Review cases two weeks ago claiming consultation on the £33bn scheme was not carried out correctly by the Government.
The case they won was in connection with consultation over property consultation which the court rules was "unlawful" and will now be held again.
Campaigners will now challenge eight other rulings they lost but need to raise a substation sum of money to help pay for the appeal.
The line runs through parts of Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire and campaigners say it has no business case and will ruin the countryside.
HS2 say it will create 100,000 jobs, benefit the economy and they are taking into account the environment.
They say the action will not delay the project.
'This project is vital for the economy' says HS2 chief
A High Court judge has ruled in favour of campaigners challenging the Government's handling of HS2, the high speed rail route through the Midlands.
Although he rejected all but one of five legal challenges, Mr. Justice Ouseley said the Government's consultation process was unlawful.
HS2 Ltd argue the high-speed rail will boost the economy:
"This project is vital for the economy and for our country going forward. We need the capacity , we need to improve the connectivity between our major cities. The judgement today gives us the green light to press on with the project and deliver that for our major cities."
HS2: government will not appeal ruling
The government has said it will not appeal today's ruling after the High Court said the compensation process for those affected by HS2 was "unlawful".
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Government say court's decision will not affect HS2 construction timetable
The Government hailed the court's decision on the cases it won as a "landmark victory" and said the loss on the compensation case would "not affect the HS2 construction timetable in any way".
Rail Minister Simon Burns said: "This is a major landmark victory for HS2 and the future of Britain. The judge has categorically given the green light for the Government to press ahead without delay in building a high-speed railway from London to Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds."
HS2 compensation process ruled "unlawful"
The Government's HS2 high-speed rail scheme suffered a setback today when the High Court ruled that the consultation process for compensating those affected by the multibillion-pound project "was so unfair as to be unlawful".
The decision was a victory for the High Speed 2 Action Alliance (HS2AA), consisting of more than 70 affiliated action groups and residents' associations.
The HS2AA case on consultation was one of five separate cases brought to block the controversial scheme in its current form. It was the only case to succeed.
Mr Justice Ouseley, sitting at London's High Court, is now hearing submissions from lawyers on the appropriate remedy.
The first phase of HS2 would see a high-speed line running from London to Birmingham. A second phase extends the line to Leeds and Manchester to create what will become known as "the Y network".
The project is designed to cut journey times, ease overcrowding and boost regional business.
BREAKING: HS2 consultations "unlawful"
Government consultations on HS2 have just been ruled unlawful by the High Court.
Cable thieves jailed
Five thieves who targetted railway and communication cables across Essex, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire have been jailed for a total of 12 years
The gang carried out 47 raids between May and August 2011.
Christopher Cruz, Kris Kreuder, Shaun Nembhard, and John Michael Newton - all from Basildon in Essex - plus Simon Scott from Leeds and Bill Lee who is already serving a jail sentence, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal cable from the railway network.
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