Weston RNLI rescue dog off Brean Down

At 17.14, Milford Haven Coastguard paged the Lifeboat Crew after a 999 call from a dog owner on Brean Down. A dog had fallen from a cliff into the sea. 

D-696 Anna Stock and its crew made good speed to Brean Down and quickly located the dog. The Helmsman Andy Stone manoeuvred the lifeboat into a position that his two crewmen member could retrieve the dog from the water safely, and quickly, without putting themselves in danger around the sharp and dangerous rocks. The lifeboat headed for safer water before deciding what was best to do with the stranded dog.

The lifeboat crew made sure the dog was in good health, despite a few scratches from his ordeal, before deciding to walk it back up Brean Down. The local Coastguard teams from Burnham on Sea, and a very grateful and relieved owner were awaiting their arrival. 

The volunteer crew headed back to Knightstone Harbour and recovered the D-696 Anna Stock. The shore crew made the Lifeboat ready for service once again and stood down at 19.00.

Crewman Paul Sargent said: 'This was a positive outcome to a potentially life threating situation for the dog.  We would like to remind dog owners that if this does happen to them not to enter the water, call 999 and ask for assistance. Entering the water has a extremely high chance of making any situation worse.'

Notes to editors

A selection of photos of the rescue are attached. Credit RNLI/Weston-super-Mare

RNLI media contacts

For more information please contact Deputy Lifeboat Press Officer Chris Lyons 07825347697 [email protected] or Lifeboat Press Officer Glyn Hayes 07774181418 [email protected] 
 
Lifeboats in service at Weston-super-Mare

Atlantic 75 class Lifeboat named Coventry and Warwickshire

D-Class Lifeboat named Anna Stock

The station was established in 1882 at the request of the local inhabitants and moved into a new boathouse in 1902. In 2013 the Pier connecting Birnbeck Island to the mainland became too unstable and dangerous. The crew now use a temporary station on the shoreline while waiting for a new permanent home.

To find out more information about Weston-super-Mare lifeboat and for recent events, please log onto our website or contact Glyn Hayes on 01934 824587. www.westonrnli.org.uk

Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.

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Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

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