Sewer 'rescue' sparked by boys
Two teenage boys sparked a major rescue operation when they took their dog for a walk – 800 metres along a sewer in the Black Country.
Fire crews, paramedics and specialist rescue teams entered the sewage system in Narrowboat Way, Brierley Hill, to search for the boys. Crews received a call reporting two boys entering a manhole at 2.30pm yesterday.
Police officers had to cordon off part the road running through Hurst Business Park as rescuers went down three separate manholes. Both human and animal footprints were found at the bottom of the 4ft high tunnel.
The teenagers dropped a drink can and chocolate bar wrapper on their 20-minute journey along the tunnel, before emerging from a pipe near a brook. They had gone by the time crews reached the end of the tunnel.
Operations commander Steve Vincent, from Dudley Command Team, said it was "stupidity" by the youngsters to waste emergency resources.
