A dog has been rescued after surviving a “dangerous” fall from a cliff on the Isle of Wight.
Freshwater Independent Lifeboat (FILB) described it as an “incredible outcome” that Ted, the dog, was unharmed after the fall on Tennyson Downs near Freshwater Bay.
Ted had been out for a walk with his owner around 11:00 BST on Wednesday when the incident occurred. The owner’s friend noticed Ted had wandered off, and fellow walkers reported seeing a dog close to the cliff’s edge.
FILB explained that Ted was normally a “well-behaved dog who stayed far from the cliff edge,” making the reports especially concerning for his owner.
Alarmed, the owner, who chose to remain anonymous, contacted the Coastguard, and FILB was called to action, launching a rescue crew at 13:10.
“Coastguard teams arrived shortly after and prepared to abseil down the cliffs if needed,” according to the FILB statement.
However, FILB crew member James Metcalfe braved the water, swimming ashore to reach the base of the cliff, where he successfully rescued Ted.
Ted was safely brought back to land by 14:30 and taken to the vet for overnight observation. Fortunately, the lifeboat team reported he was “in good health” and expressed their relief at the “incredible outcome after such a dangerous fall.”
The FILB also used the incident to remind dog owners of the risks near cliff edges.
“We want to thank the local community for their ongoing support and urge dog owners to take extra care when walking near cliffs,” the statement added. “This story highlights the vital work of our life-saving teams and the incredible efforts they put in.”