A 72-year-old woman and her dog lost for nine days in the wilderness were saved when rescuers spotted a "help" message she had spelled out using sticks.

Ann Rodgers and her dog, Queenie, survived by drinking pond water and eating plants before her distress message was picked up by a helicopter crew.

Rodgers went missing on March 31 as she travelled to visit her grandchildren.

After running out of petrol, she attempted to climb the terrain to establish mobile phone signal but quickly became lost.

A huge search was launched when her car was discovered by the side of the road on April 3.

Rescuers feared the worst when Queenie was found without Ms Rodgers six days later.

But luckily for the grandmother, a helicopter crew spotted the "help" sign she had made out of sticks and stones.

Underneath one of the stones was a note, written on April 3, saying she was out of food and water.

Rodgers was found alive but suffering from exposure a short time later before being taken to hospital.

Speaking about her ordeal, Rodgers told reporters: "What I feel like is a survivor - how stupid could I be?"

She said she had accepted that she would die "in the most natural beautiful cathedral I have been in in a long time".

"And then I thought, 'No, I ain't giving up yet."

"Old people are thought of as not always as able to do things as others, which is true in many ways.

"However, because we age, wisdom [and] memories become part of your knowledge base that help you survive."

Asked whether she still planned to visit her grandchildren, she replied: "You better damn well believe it."