A TRAIN driver has been hailed as a lifesaver by a trainee nurse whose dog went seriously off-track in Rowlands Castle.

Julia Cheal feared the worse after her 20-month-old field spaniel bolted from its new dog walker in Havant Thicket early this month.

But the pair were soon enjoying a not-so-brief encounter in Petersfield as an eagle-eyed train driver spotted the dog on the line near Finchdean a few hours later.

Julia is amazed that Cocoa wasn’t run over or electrocuted on the road or railway, during its six-hour absence.

The 32-year-old from Havant also can’t praise South West Trains (SWT) enough with the driver, guard and station staff all playing a part in the dog’s rescue.

She said: “It was his first day out with a new dog walker and they were both on the way back to the car when something spooked him and he bolted across Manor Lodge Road.

“I left college an hour early to help with the search and there were six of us looking. I was about to pick my son up when I received a call from Petersfield station saying they had my dog, which I was quite shocked about.

“I thought the station staff and all the crew on the train were remarkable but I’m amazed he covered so much ground.

“The staff looked after him remarkably well and fed him lots of treats until I got there. Only Cocoa knows what adventures he’s had but he’s also quite lucky to be alive because he surely would have died if he had gone anywhere near the third rail.”

Cocoa, who went missing around lunchtime on Thursday, August 4, was spotted six hours later by Des Shepherd around a mile north of Rowlands Castle.

The train driver brought the 2P62 Portsmouth to London Waterloo stopping service to a halt before getting out of his cab and using his belt to collar the dog.

Cocoa was given a free ticket to ride by the guard, Neil Woolridge, before being handed over to Ray Brooks and his colleagues at Petersfield station.

Most rail users would find ‘dog on the line’ a poor excuse for a late arrival but Cocoa’s foray on to the railway caused a 15-minute delay.

Petersfield station ambassador Debbie Crossland believes Cocoa is lucky to be alive as animal fatalities are frequent on the railway. She told the Post on Monday that a dog died on the Petersfield section of the line early this week.

Of Cocoa, she said: “He was filthy and covered in fox poo and burrs but despite being very wet he looked as if he had enjoyed himself. We gave him some water and I bought him some doggy sausages, which he really enjoyed.

“Ray then phoned Julia up and said ‘have you lost something?’ and there was a lady in tears on the end of the line. We wrote in our log: fed sausages until owner arrived – lucky pup.”

Julia added: “You hear so many negative stories about the railways these days so it’s nice to hear something positive. They were such lovely people to do something like this.”