A dog that ran off when frightened by fireworks ended up travelling more than 20 miles from his Retford home after he hopped on a train to get away.
Buddy the Staffordshire Bull terrier fled from his house on Cobwell Road after being spooked by trick or treaters and fireworks going off nearby.
His owner, Lauren Trenham, started searching for him and posted an appeal on Facebook.
Lauren, 29, said: “No-one could find him anywhere. I posted an appeal on Facebook, and a guy replied saying he had seen a staffy boarding the 5.58pm to Sheffield. I thought he was winding me up.”
I thought he was winding me up
After making his way to Retford Station on Saturday, seven-year-old Buddy was seen waiting on the lower level platform. Then passengers began spotting him on the train.
Lauren said: “The guy said he saw him running up and down the train but because he was a staffy, people must have been wary of him. But they needn’t have worried- he’s soft as a muck.”
Buddy was eventually befriended by the train conductor after passengers watched the dog pace up and down the carriages on the 22-mile journey.
Lauren said: “We were devastated when we found out he was missing- not knowing what had happened to him and wondering how I was going to tell the kids.
“Being a staffy I thought he would have been picked up for dog fighting. I was worried sick.”
British Transport Police officers collected Buddy from Sheffield and took him to a dog shelter in the city.
Lauren was re-united with him the next day after she contacted Network Rail. He is now back at home with her and her children, Henley, aged eight, and seven-year-old Jasmine.
Lauren added: “Now we know how scared he is of fireworks, we’re all staying in with him on Bonfire Night with the curtains drawn.”
