Istanbul students and firemen pitch in to rescue puppy stuck down well — video

A four-month-old puppy who fell into a deep well in central Istanbul was lifted out after 10 days with the help of a robotic arm designed by high school students.

Firemen were helped by miners and the high school students on Wednesday in a rescue effort that captivated Turks.

The dog, a kangal breed nicknamed Kuyu, or well, was discovered nearly two weeks ago stuck down a 70 metre well in a wooded area of Istanbul's Beykoz district.

It was rescued at dawn on Wednesday by workers using night-vision cameras and a large clamp, emerging to cheers and shouts of joy, footage showed.

Rescue workers had worked non-stop for days to get Kuyu out, their efforts slowed by the depth of the well. They were also prevented from digging a new hole because of concern it could cause the well to collapse.

They lowered down food and water to keep the puppy alive as they worked.

The hashtag #Kuyu became the No 2 top trending topic on Turkish Twitter. Following a visit to the veterinary clinic, Kuyu was brought to Beykoz fire station, its new home.

* Reuters