A woman from Mabe whose dog spent two days 20 metres down a mineshaft before being rescued by firefighters has said it was like 'losing a member of the family.'

Lucy Caswell has thanked the friends family, volunteers, and the Mabe community for their support after family pet Indie disappeared near Bissoe on Sunday evening.

The pair had been out walking along the popular route when golden retriever Indie chased off after a rabbit, and after she failed to reappear Lucy began to worry.

She said: "She just completely disappeared and didn't come back.

"I was there for a good hour and a half and then I started to panic. She always comes back, it was completely out of character."

Lucy went to nearby dog shelter K9 Crusaders, who helped her contact volunteer group Dog Lost, as well as the do warden and local vets.

Soon a group of volunteers was mobilised, putting up posters and searching the area where Indie had gone missing.

Lucy said: "It was absolutely incredible the amount of support I have had.

"Friends and family have all been helping, everybody helped to get through those 53 hours."

She added: "My daughter Mireia was absolutely distraught. It was like losing a member of the family."

But on Tuesday evening, Lucy said, her partner Sean Goldsworthy "almost fell into the mine shaft," and they managed to locate Indie.

The hole was within 30 yards of where the dog had gone missing, but noone had been able to hear her because she was so far down.

Firefighters from Truro and a rescue tender from Tolvaddon were quickly sent to the scene near Wheal Jane, where they quickly to cleared the area and set up anchors to rig a pulley system, before lifting Indie out in a special animal rescue harness.

Lucy thanked K9 Crusaders, Dog Lost and the fire brigade for their "spcetacular" help, and said: "We're all so happy to have her back."

Indie was reunited with her family, none the worse for wear except for a small cut by one eye, and now Lucy says she is ready to go out walking once more.

"But," Lucy added, "she'll be on her lead."

A spokesperson for Truro Community Fire Service said: "Disused mine shafts are common in Cornwall and everyone should be mindful of these when out and about. They can be hidden by foliage or appear to be capped but can also be far reaching underground."