- Coastguard: Search & Rescue SOS airs on Channel 5 at 9pm on Wednesday
This is the dramatic moment the coastguard launched a rescue bid to save a dog who fell off a 300ft cliff onto a narrow ledge.
The officers from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency rushed to Nose’s Point in the town of Seaham, County Durham, to help the pooch’s despairing owner.
She called the government body after her pet, called Marley, tumbled over the edge of the crag on a walk – fortunately landing on an outcrop around 20ft below.
Shocking footage shows the small pup in real distress as the wind whips around her and the sea churns below the notoriously loose and crumbly rocks.
The life-saving squads who rushed to her aid faced a race against time in their daring cliff rescue, amid fears the dog could fall further – with fatal consequences.
But luckily, the officers from Seaham and nearby Sunderland had a particularly useful Coastguard Rescue Officer (CRO) on their side.
Andy Heppell has a reputation on his Coastguard Rescue Team (CRT) as ‘the dog whisperer’, known for his amazing success with rescuing hounds in trouble.
The mission features in the third episode of the third series of Channel 5 documentary Coastguard: Search & Rescue SOS, set to air at 9pm on Wednesday.
A clip of the moment was shared exclusively with the Daily Mail, in which the terrified owner’s call to the maritime emergency service can be heard.
She explains: ‘I’m at Seaham, at Nose’s Point. My little dog has gone over the edge of the cliff. Oh, I can hear her. She, she’s obviously, she’ll be scared.’
The agency jumps into action, with the call handler responding: ‘We’re going to get some coastguards moving to your location straight away.’
‘Please, nobody put themselves into any danger.’
Rescuers, including Mr Heppell, soon descend on the scene, quickly preparing specialist equipment for carrying the dog once recovered.
‘Can we get a CRO to start getting the animal bag prepped please?’, one calls out.
The famed ‘dog whisperer’ bravely abseils down the cliff face, shouting out, ‘Stop, stop!’, as he reaches the precipitous outcrop Marley landed on.
The poor dog is barking and howling in fear, as the officer reaches out to grab her from the rocky shelf, saying: ‘She’s freaking out.’
The owner and members of public watch on as the daring operation unfolds.
Although not shown in the preview clip, the full episode next week will thankfully show both Mr Heppell and Marley making it back up to the clifftop safely.
The documentary follows the work of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency across the country, which is responsible for maritime law, safety and anti-pollution work.
It looks specifically at the work of its emergency rescue division, HM Coastguard (HMCG), which has more than 300 teams across the UK coast.
The series depicts its some 3,500 volunteer officers and more than 400 specialist staff keeping people safe at sea.
Their work involves responding to emergencies, coordinating search and rescue missions, inspecting vessels and investigating incidents.
The service responds to more than 36,000 incidents every year.
Coastguard: Search & Rescue SOS airs on Channel 5 at 9pm next Wednesday.
