Leo the Labrador fell 40ft on to the pavement when he jumped from a third-floor window in pursuit of a squirrel.

The boisterous black Labrador was watching the world go by from the window of a flat where his owner, Colin Rowland, was carrying out some building work.

The daring dog spotted a squirrel in trees opposite, pushed the window open with his nose and launched himself at the trees.

The last sight Mr Rowland had of Leo was the dog's tail disappearing out of the window at the flats in Barrowfield Drive, Brighton.

Mr Rowland, a joiner from Nevill Road, Hove, said: "I shouted but it was just too late. I felt really sick.

"I don't remember running down the stairs - all I remember thinking is that I would have to scrape him off the pavement."

Mr Rowland, who has owned Leo for four years and adopted him from the RSPCA shelter at Patcham, found Leo lying motionless on the pavement.

Mr Rowland, who takes Leo to work with him almost every day, said: "He was lying on the Tarmac. I picked him up and laid him in the back of the car and he just collapsed.

"I though he was a goner. He was in shock and I didn't know if he'd done some internal damage."

He took him to a vet in Hove who feared Leo may have suffered life-threatening injuries.

He said: "I put him on the floor and he just lay down.

"Then he sat up and noticed all the nice ladies and began jumping up and running around. I felt like a fraud."

Leo suffered a cut to his back right leg which needed stitches and he was given an X-ray to ensure there was no internal damage.

Within days the six-year-old dog was fighting fit again, although his joints are a bit stiff from the fall.

Mr Rowland believes Leo survived because twice a month he takes part in dog agility classes, jumping and climbing obstacles.

He said: "He's a miracle but I guess he's quite fit. He is still coming to work with me but I'll make sure the windows are shut properly from now on."