A black labrador was lucky to be alive after it was run over by four trains but avoided death.

The dog, called Poppy, chased a deer onto a railway line while out on a walk with her owner.

Poppy and the deer were both hit by a passenger train, but where the deer was killed instantly, the pet survived by lying still in the middle of the tracks as three other trains passed overhead, all missing her.

Poppy suffered broken ribs and Garston Vets in Westbury, Wilts, said things "looked very dark for Poppy", but she pulled through.

Sarah Holmes, of Garston Vets, said: "Her face was extremely swollen, she had a large wound on her back and was in considerable pain.

''But we were amazed that the only broken bones were a couple of ribs."