A man from Northumberland was reunited with his dog after Metro staff rescued the animal from the tracks on June 19. Barry Churchill, 47, of Choppington, praised two Nexus operations managers, Louis Meach and Alan Hudson, for their swift and successful efforts in recovering his Rhodesian Ridgeback, Bobby.

The incident began when Bobby escaped from a dog sitter’s home in Gosforth and was seen wandering on the Armstrong Bridge and in Jesmond Dene. The dog later made his way onto the Metro tracks between South Gosforth and Ilford Road, one of the busiest sections of the network.

Barry had been searching frantically after posting a Facebook appeal for help. A customer who recognized Bobby from the appeal contacted Metro staff, prompting Meach and Hudson to take immediate action. Louis Meach, 33, who has held his current role for five years, was at South Gosforth station when he was alerted to Bobby’s presence on the line.

After spotting the dog running down the track, Meach boarded the next train, instructing the driver to proceed with caution. The two managers then exited the train and searched on foot, locating Bobby near an access gate. Using chicken from a colleague’s lunch as bait, Meach and Hudson enticed Bobby, secured him on a lead, and quickly removed him from the tracks.

Meach described the rescue as a relief, emphasizing the danger posed by moving trains. “There was a real risk he could have been struck by a train,” he said. “He’s a lovely dog and pleased to see us. It was satisfying to know we had rescued him.”

Hudson, 63, from Jarrow, added that he was glad the dog was unharmed and emphasized that the public should not attempt to retrieve animals from Metro tracks themselves. “If anyone does lose a dog on the Metro line, please contact a member of our staff,” he advised.

Barry Churchill expressed deep gratitude for the intervention, calling the experience “a real ordeal.” He said he was “enormously grateful” to Meach and Hudson, noting their “fantastic job” prevented a potentially tragic outcome. The reunion between Barry and Bobby was a moment of relief for all involved.