A dog has been rescued by volunteers after spending over 26 hours down an old mining shaft.

The terrier female, went missing on Sunday while out for a walk with her owner Ben Weston near St Ives, Cornwall.

She wasn’t on a leash and ran off into the woods. When she never returned, her owners searched for her into the night and Monday morning.

Eventually, they came across a deep hole, and could hear their poor pup whimpering from inside.

An intense video filmed by Carbis Bay Crew, a volunteer group of cavers, divers, mine explorers and climbers, shows the extraordinary operation in action.

“The fire brigade turned up first and then we did five minutes later,” Sam Perkin’s, a member of Carbis Bay Crew who was present at the rescue. “They assessed the situation and couldn’t pick up any signs of life, so couldn’t commit to sending anyone down.”

“But as soon as they left, we could hear the dog yipping again — so I called up some other members to help get her out.”

The hold turned out to be an old mineshaft; so old that the timbers meant to support the opening had rotted away, leaving only the previously excavated dirt and granite which had been left behind to slowly compact in on itself to support the passage.

The footage also shows the moment the pup is reunited with her emotional owners. Suka is now reportedly safe and sound at home with her owners.

WATCH the video below: