Dog owner speaks after pooch causes traffic chaos on the M5 before being rescued by Shropshire lorry driver

Those are the words of an 'embarrassed' but relieved dog owner after his pooch ran on to a busy motorway – and survived after being rescued by a Ludlow man.

The M5 was closed both ways on Thursday while emergency services tried to retrieve Titan after his im-pawsible journey on to the motorway at Junction 1.

The four-year-old Akita doggedly evaded capture for about an hour before being collared by the motorist from Shropshire. Posts on social media showed officers running down the hard shoulder as Titan scampered in between vehicles.

Keiran Samra, a recent University of Wolverhampton English graduate, said when he realised the dog had got out of the garden he started walking round looking for him.

He added: "Just after midday I got a call saying there was a dog on the M5.

"It was a mixture of worry and relief when the police said they had found him.

"I can't ever remember the motorway being closed for a pet before.

"I'm really relieved for their help and thankful to them for bringing him in."

Lorry driver Peter Wright, from Ludlow, helped corner Titan on the motorway, before police officers dropped him back at the house where Mr Samra lives with his grandparents.

Energetic Titan showed little sign of having brought the Midlands transport network to a grinding halt.

Mr Samra, who lives in West Bromwich High Street, said: "I do feel a bit embarrassed because of the delays everyone faced and the trouble the police went through, but I'm glad he's safe."

Mr Wright said: "As I got on the motorway they had put the traffic officers there and signs up saying that there were animals on the loose.

"I was expecting it to be horses or something like that but then I spotted this dog running around my lorry. I got out and managed to find this blue lead in my lorry and tied it around his neck.

"He was quite a big dog and I managed to stand with him by the side of the

Highways England tweeted after the incident, which saw traffic help up for an hour: "The dog's ok, we've given him some fuss and he's safely off the network."