A runaway puppy was cut free by firefighters after spending hours impaled on railings.

Tango, a 20-month-old female boxer, fled from her owner's home late on Thursday night.

Her distraught owner spent the morning walking nearby streets in the hope of finding the much-loved pet, but then made an horrific discovery.

The dog had tried to leap a set of reinforced steel railings in Peartree Lane, Higham, but became impaled through the groin. She was left hanging in severe pain.

A crew from Strood fire station was called to the scene shortly after 11am. They cut Tango free using equipment usually used to free casualties trapped in car crashes.

A spokesman for Strood fire station said: "The dog was in a lot of shock when we arrived. We didn't start cutting anything until a vet arrived to take care of her.

"We used a tool called a reciprocating saw which allows us to cut through metal with the minimum amount of vibrations. We had to cut a sizeable amount of railings down to free her. It certainly wasn't our usual kind of job."

Tango was rushed to the Medway City Veterinary Centre, Strood, to receive emergency treatment.

See this Monday's Medway Messenger to find out if Tango survived her horrific ordeal