THIS cute pooch has been hailed a ‘miracle dog’ after surviving for three days down a dark 8ft manhole.

Adorable Lulu, a seven-year-old Jack Russell, went missing while walking in an overgrown area of grass beside Kenilworth Crescent.

For the next three days her distraught owners scoured the area looking for the lovable rescue dog to no avail.

When they returned in a last ditch search the following day, a faint whine led them to the hole in the ground where they discovered little Lulu.

Firefighters were called in and they managed to rescue the traumatised dog, now recovering at home after her ordeal.

Lulu’s owners Shirley Bamford and husband Frank, along with his sister Ann Boyd, who was walking Lulu when she went missing, are now calling for the dangerous manhole to be covered urgently before a person, or another pet, is seriously injured.

Shirley, from Overton Crescent, said she was working in England when Lulu vanished without a trace.

She said: “It was very distressing being so many miles away but when I came back up I went straight out to look for her even though it was dark.

“It was lucky that I didn’t fall down the hole.

“The next day me and Ann went back out again to the area and we heard her crying.

“I couldn’t believe it when we saw her stuck down the hole — it was so sad to see her stuck down there.

“The firefighter managed to get down into the hole and lifted her out.

“It was such a special moment as Lulu was reunited with our other dog Bobby and they were kissing.

“She’s definitely a miracle dog and is obviously such a strong character to survive in that hole.

“It must have been so scary for her at night.” Ann, pictured, said she had suffered sleepless nights after Lulu went missing.

She said: “I take the dogs out for walks every day and I let them off the lead to run around but Lulu just disappeared.

“I panicked and was really upset as I couldn’t find her.

“It was unbelievable when we found the hole and saw her face looking up.

“The grass is so long up there that she must’ve jumped down it by accident.

“The hole needs to be covered over as soon as possible as a kid could fall down it, or even an adult.” A spokeswoman from the fire brigade today confirmed that Greenock firefighters had rescued Lulu.

She said: “A crew from Greenock was called out after a dog was reported to be down an 8ft hole.

“The crew managed to rescue the dog.” Authorities have now been made aware of the hole and arrangements are in hand to make the area safe.

Russell Smith, cleaner, greener manager at housing association River Clyde Homes, said: “Not all drainage in this area is River Clyde Homes’ responsibility.

“However, if a manhole cover has been stolen, we will make it safe in the meantime and check the area to ensure that no other covers are missing.” Despite her ordeal, Lulu seems to have emerged unscathed, if a little shaken.

Shirley said: “I sat with her on Saturday night and gave her water as she was very dehydrated.

“But she was fine and went back to playing with her toys again.”