AWOL guard dogs tale has happy ending

11:44am Friday 31st August 2007

Comments (4)   Have your say »

By Sally Henfield »

FACTORY workers are celebrating the safe return of their beloved guard dogs after they went on a five-mile walkabout and ended up on a busy roundabout.

Five-year-old Nelson and three-year-old Max, both Alsatians, managed to wriggle through an insecure panel at the PDM Group site, in Bridge Street, Accrington, early on Monday morning.

The duo's bid for freedom was captured on the firm's CCTV.

They were seen scampering towards the canal, before disappearing from view.

Transport co-ordinator Paul Dumon contacted the Telegraph on Wednesday in a bid to track down the dogs.

Within an hour a man, who asked not to be named, called reporters to say he had found two dogs on the Whitebirk roundabout on Monday lunchtime.

"They were running in the traffic and looking a bit lost," said the man.

"I am a dog lover, so I couldn't leave them there.

"I managed to get a collar on one and put it in my van. The other one just hopped in after it."

The animals were taken to Glen Coe Kennels, in Haslingden Old Road, Oswaldtwistle.

The pair have now returned to their duties of patrolling the grounds of the factory, which collects used cooking oil and processes it into biofuel.

Mr Dumon said: "They are like part of our family. During the day they are in their kennels because of all the trucks moving around, and at night they have the run of the place.

"We are pleased that the wanderers have returned and would like to thank the gentleman who found them, Glen Coe, and the Lancashire Telegraph for getting them back to us."