Couple's praise for team who saved dog

THE owners of the dog who fell 20 foot over a cliff in Brixham have thanked the coastguard teams who came to his rescue.

Titch, a Jack Russell cross, was chasing a rabbit when he fell through a bush and over the edge in Battery Gardens.

The nine-year-old pooch, who came from a rescue home, landed on a grassy ledge and was unable to move either up or down on Saturday morning.

Video by Herald Express reader Terry Jones

His owner, Cheryl Willis, feared he would attempt to jump another 20 foot into the sea below, said her husband Stan.

"She didn't know where he had gone at first. It took her a while to work out where he was," he said.

"She heard him barking and realised he was stuck but she didn't know what to do because it was such a difficult spot.

"She didn't have a mobile phone, but there was someone else there with one who was quite helpful and rang the coastguard service.

"They all arrived and they were very friendly. My wife was a bit embarrassed to call so many people out, but they said it was quite a good training exercise for them and made her feel at ease about it."

Mr Willis, a retired musician, added: "Two seals came to have a look because there were so many people about and stayed watching the dog.

"He seemed quite OK because he was sitting on a stack of rock.

"My wife kept talking to him. He's a bit of a crazy dog and she was a bit worried that he might jump.

"She was very grateful to get him back and said the team who turned up were terrific."