A dog plucked from a hole on Shipley Glen was full of excitement when he met the firefighters who saved its life.

Golden labrador Zak and his owner Andrew Eastell went along to Cleckheaton fire station yesterday.

Zak was fussed over by Laura Boocock, 29, the firefighter who pulled him out of the six-foot deep crevice at the end of his 53-hour ordeal on Thursday, January 3.

Crew commander Boocock, who spent about three hours laying down talking to Zak during the rescue, said: “It’s good to see he has put some weight on! He was like a whippet when we got him out.”

Mr Eastell, 55, of Baildon, said: “It is great to be able to say thank you. I remember seeing Laura laying on the cold stone. At one point she looked up, caught my eye and gave me this big beaming smile.”

Firefighter Anton Frazer said: “Zak looks in remarkably good condition considering what he went through.”

Mr Eastell also revealed that Craig Pennington, owner of Mo the border collie who found Zak, turned down a £1,000 reward. The cash will instead be split between a charity for lost dogs and the Firefighters Charity.

Zak has also been named mascot of Shipley-based Salts FC, where Mr Eastell manages a Sunday side, and has been given his own shirt.