A LIVELY puppy who set off to make friends with the neighbour's dog had to be rescued by firefighters after becoming intimately entangled with their gate instead.

A LIVELY puppy who set off to make friends with the neighbour's dog had to be rescued by firefighters after becoming intimately entangled with their gate instead.

Charlie, a six-month-old greyhound-collie cross, friendly nature got him into a spot of bother yesterday evening as he tried to make friends with the nearby pooch.

The puppy – already two and a half feet tall – went bounding over to next door's terrier, Bonnie.

Unfortunately Charlie, who lives with his owners in Norwich Road, Ipswich, misunderstood what to do and ran straight into the wrought iron side-gate – getting his head stuck in between the railings.

The dog's owner, Anna De Dona, 59, could not believe her eyes when she saw that Charlie was stuck.

She said: "Charlie had just come back from a walk in the park with my husband, Daniello. My husband had just opened the gate to put the rubbish out and Charlie ran out to my neighbour's house. I think he wanted to see my neighbour's dog!

"I noticed that he had got his head stuck in their gate. I started to panic because I realised that if he jerked back, the iron would stick into his neck. I didn't know what to do."

"Luckily the fire engine was here within five minutes. But we had to keep Charlie calm because he kept trying to move as the firemen cut the gate."

Firefighters had to cut away the railings only inches from Charlie's neck. Luckily, the puppy emerged from the gate safe and sound.

"I am so relieved," said Mrs De Dona. "I didn't sleep all last night I was so shaken. I am just so happy that Charlie is all right."