A HOUDINI hound astounded his owners when he ran away from home - and caught the train to York.

Staffordshire bull terrier Bud scaled a 7ft fence to take a day trip from Darlington on the 5.55am GNER Newcastle to London service on Monday.

The three-year-old stowed away on the train, disembarking at York, to the amazement of station staff who looked after him until council animal health officers arrived.

Meanwhile, Bud's owners, Martin and Mandy Carrick, discovered their mischievous pet had disappeared and contacted police.

"I could not believe it when the police rang and said he'd been found in York," said Mr Carrick.

"From what we can make out he was at the station in Darlington, the doors of this train from Newcastle opened, and he jumped on. Then when they opened again in York, he decided to jump off."

This is the not the first time Bud has gone walkies by himself - his owners regularly receive calls to say he has been found in peculiar locations in Darlington.

But even they were shocked to hear he had made the 60-mile trip to York and Mr Carrick, 42, immediately jumped on a train to collect him.

"Bud is fine - but he's cost me a fortune! £33 for the dog wardens and £13 for the train to pick him up," he said.

"I'm just glad he got off at the first stop or I might have been heading to London."

Updated: 11:00 Wednesday, February 18, 2004