This incredible picture shows the moment a lost dog was found alive after spending FIVE DAYS stuck down a rabbit hole in Yorkshire.

Ralph, a wire-haired Daschund went missing while out on walk last Thursday. Owner Sarah Mclellan, 33 and her husband had been frantically searching for the five-year-old over the weekend - even recruiting the help of volunteers.

Miraculously, the terrified pooch was sniffed out by his sister, Edie, while on a walk with Sarah's husband on Monday - five days after he went missing.

Ralph was trapped in a maze of rabbit runs five foot underground - and just half a mile from home - when he was eventually dug out after a two-hour ordeal.

Sarah, from Haworth, near Keighley, said: "Ralph was about five feet down and they had to dig around him so the hole didn't collapse - it took them two hours.

"At first my husband could just hear a dog whimpering so he rang his friend and his friend shot up and dropped everything.

"The rabbit holes are like mazes and he must have gone through one hole and got stuck - he had made himself a hole in the middle but he couldn't get out again.

"When he got out the hole he went for a wee - and then carried on as if nothing had happened!

"When I got back home I opened the door and there he was in the kitchen - I couldn't believe it.

"My son had kept asking us where Ralphy was - he was opening the front door and shouting for him - it was heartbreaking. We just had to tell him that Daddy was looking for him."

As the weather deteriorated over the weekend, the couple posted on 'lost dog' Facebook groups to get their message out there.

She added: "On Friday it was horrendous weather, it was freezing and we just couldn't find him anywhere.

"As you can imagine at this point your mind goes wild thinking what's happened - has he drowned? Has something bad happened?

"I posted on Facebook groups and then on Saturday night a lady took it upon herself to start up a website for him.

"It's all volunteers and they were going out looking for him all day on Sunday - it was lovely."

Despite losing weight while he was trapped in the hole, the shaken dog was not left with any serious injuries.

Sarah said: "Ralph is completely knackered and he has worn down his nails from where he was trying to dig himself out but he is otherwise fine.

"He's lost weight and he's so tired - he just needs time to build himself back up again."

The relieved owner hopes that her happy ending will give others hope that their pets will also be found.

She added: "I just want this to give people hope that they will find their dogs - you've just got to be persistent.

"It was such a drama and I was still in shock when I saw him - I was up till 1am last night just cuddling him.

"He does like chasing rabbits and he does that a lot but he just took it too far this time.

"Hopefully he has learnt his lesson this time."