Local people teamed up with firemen in rural Romania to free a lost dog that became trapped in a frozen river in a dangerous four hour rescue operation.

The dog was reported as a missing pet for several weeks before being found yesterday (January 9) trapped in the frozen Someș river, close to the village of Petrești, near Dej in northern Romania.

A local man together with his brother-in-law spotted the dog in distress and tried to row out on the frozen river to rescue it, but were stopped and one nearly drowned after their boat was holed by the ice.

They then contacted the Fire Department in the city of Dej who freed the dog with shovels and another boat after it had spent at least four hours stuck in the icy water.

The dog then escaped from the firemen and continued on its journey.