A field spaniel who went missing on Sunday from near the Bomber Command Memorial on Beachy Head on the south coast, was rescued dramatically yesterday by coastguards and fire and rescue.
The spaniel Bonnie was feared to have fallen from Beachy Head when she couldn’t been found by DogLost or the owner’s family – one of whom thought she heard her bark near the cliffs.
Eastbourne and Birling Gap Coastguard were assisted by Newhaven together with East Sussex Fire & Rescue. Teams scaled down the cliffs and spent two hours trying to locate Bonnie and when the owner’s son Andrew arrived and called her name, her faint barking identified the spot.
Bonnie was found 25ft deep down the cliff face in a crevice just 18 inches wide. It was a delicate and chancy operation to get her out. A member of the Fire & Rescue rescued her and both were hauled to the top by Coastguards using rope rescue equipment where she was reunited with her owners.
DogLost’s East Sussex Area Co-ordinator, Gina Clarke was on hand to support the family and she said “It was touch and go as to whether the crew would be able to get her out. We are so grateful to the crews for the three hours they spent on the rescue and I am pleased to report that Bonnie was unscathed.”
The touching moment when Bonnie was reunited was captured by Gina, along with a crew from Hat Trick Productions who has been following Bonnie’s case.
