Barney the pup may only be six months old, but already he's had the police and fire brigade out after him.

His latest scrape brought a fire engine to his owner's home at Hewitts Close, Leafield.

The mischievous hound got his head stuck between a brick wall and concrete post in the back garden and no-one could free him.

Owner Susan Glynn said: "He was just going backwards and forwards and getting nowhere. We knew then that it was a case for the emergency services - again!"

Witney firemen freed Barney by using a special machine to prise a gap between the wall and post.

The Glynn family's previous embarrassment happened at 1.30am one morning when a policeman knocked on their door.

"We don't know how he did it, but somehow he managed to call 999 on the telephone. He must have pressed it with his paw or nose," said Mrs Glynn. "Anyway, we've now put the telephone out of his reach. We're just waiting to see what he does next."

Her daughter Katie, aged five, was just relieved to see Barney safe after his latest brush.

"Really, he's a very lovely and friendly animal, but he does get up to some things," added Mrs Glynn.

Story date: Saturday 30 January

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.