Rescuers call off efforts to save Tilly the dog after she gets stuck down hole

Search team describes claustrophobic conditions in eight metre rift with a person 'not even being able to turn their neck'

Rescuers tried to retrieve Tilly from the hole but to no avail (South and Mid Wales Cave Rescue Team)

Cave rescuers have called off an attempt to save a dog that fell down a hole in a Welsh mountain.

Tilly, a West Highland terrier, fell into a rift near Blaina on Sunday and was located the following day. Specialist cavers were called on Tuesday morning after firefighters tried to save the dog.

But attempts by the team to coax Tilly from her position have failed.

A caver was sent down into the 8m rift and "got within a few feet" of Tilly, but was "unable to turn or bend" in the tight space, rescuers said.

The South and Mid Wales cave rescue team (SMWCRT) said in a Facebook post: "Tilly was very close by, but for whatever reason was unable to get out onto the rift floor.

"She was encouraged verbally, with dog food and with a hooked pole. After an extended effort of 20 minutes, the tough decision, that there was nothing more we could do, had to be made.

"Many of the team are dog owners and dog lovers and the decision to end the operation was not taken lightly."

Gary Mitchell, the group's chairman, told The Independent one of his team members spent a total of 40 minutes in the rift.

He described the person "not being able to move in any direction other than the one you have been lowered down in, only being able to move one arm and not even being able to turn your neck or move your head" in the claustrophobic space.

The decision was made on Tuesday to discontinue the rescue attempt.

SMWCRT was founded in 1946 and is based at Penwyllt in the Swansea Valley.