London - A sheepdog roaming away from his owner's farm retrieved a bottle with a message from an ailing homeless man and took it home to his master, allowing Scottish emergency workers to arrive in time to save the man who had not eaten or had any water for days.
The Guardian newspaper reported on Friday that Ben the border collie crossed three fields to a deserted farmhouse in the Falkirk area to find the plastic bottle on which Robert Sinclair had scribbled a hasty note.
Sinclair, 55, who has lived rough in the area for 27 years, had not eaten or drunk anything for more than a week, after an asthma attack.
He managed to scribble his note on a piece of cardboard, put it in a plastic water bottle and drop it out of the window.
Ben's owner, Brian Besler, 56, found Sinclair in the old farmhouse and summoned the emergency services.
Sinclair was discharged earlier this week after making a full recovery.
Inspector Alistair Tate, of Central Scotland police, said: "It was really a great stroke of luck for Robert Sinclair that the dog found his note and Mr Besler came looking, or we would be looking at a very different outcome." - Sapa-dpa