Two lost dogs rescued after getting stuck 30m down cliff near Newquay
Coastguard crews described it as a 'complex operation'
Two lost dogs have been rescued in what has been described as a 'complex operation' after they got stuck 30m down a cliff near Newquay.
Coastguard teams from the town and Padstow were called to the scene north of Watergate Bay at around 3.30am on Tuesday (14th June).
A full-time Senior Coastal Operations Officer from Falmouth and Newquay RNLI Lifeboats were also tasked to the scene.
Rescuers say it was clear that the dogs could not be recovered individually without the dog remaining behind becoming agitated, and potentially being at risk of falling further down the cliff face.
The crews put up two cliff top rope rescue setups, so cliff technicians could get down to the dogs and recover them at the same time. The RNLI lifeboat from Newquay provided safety cover and monitoring just offshore.
With some coaxing from the two cliff techs, the dogs were safely secured in separate animal rescue bags and recovered to the top of the cliff, to be reunited with their relieved owners.
Padstow Coastguard said: "Thankfully both dogs (and their owners) were able to walk away from this incident unscathed. In this case, the owners did the right thing by calling 999, rather than attempting to recover their dogs themselves.
"We should be clear that the primary role of Coastguard Rescue Teams attending such incidents is to prevent an accident or injury to the owners (who may be attempting to recover their dog), not specifically to recover the animals themselves.
"If you are walking your dog on the coast path, please ensure that it is secured on a lead at all times, no matter how "trustworthy" you think he or she is. Experience tells us that it only takes a second for your reliable dog to surprise you, and perhaps not come home safe.
"If you see someone in distress on the beach, coastline or sea, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard."