When Hazel McNeile heard yelping from her back garden, she thought it was just her playful puppy Zac enjoying himself.

But when the three-month-old Labrador's barking turned to whimpering, she went out to see what had happened.

To Hazel's amazement, Zac had managed to get his head trapped inside her plastic watering can.

After failing to lever the can off his head, in desperation she dialled 999 for the fire brigade to help out.

Within half an hour they had managed to rescue Zac after cutting the can off his head at Hazel's Horsham home.

But although Zac was delighted, Hazel was left acutely embarrassed.

Hazel said: "He is an absolutely adorable puppy and was just playing in the garden while I was cooking my dinner.

"I couldn't believe it when I saw what Zac had done. As a last resort, I rang the fire brigade.

"To my embarrassment, two fire engines came to sort out Zac. It really was a case of a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

"They burst out laughing when they saw him. But they were brilliant and very carefully cut it off using pliers and small blades.

"It was quite worrying but he also looked very comical.

"Once it was removed he was back to his normal self.

"It is typical of Zac - he is such a playful puppy."