A PEMBROKESHIRE lifeboat crew helped to retrieve a dog that fell over a cliff this morning.

St Davids RNLI volunteers were due to carry out a planned launch for an exercise but abandoned this at 8.52am on Saturday, November 25, after reports were received of a dog going over the cliff east of Porthgain.

The crew launched the all-weather lifeboat Norah Wortley and found the dog had fallen three metres down the 50-metre cliff.

The dog’s position meant that the lifeboat stood by as HM Coastguard St Davids set up for its recovery, but as the cliff rescue team was preparing for the rescue, the dog fell down the remaining 47 metres to the rocks below it.

The RNLI crew launched its Y boat and were able to retrieve the dog – which was alert – to its grateful owners at Porthgain Harbour.

Judd Kohler, RNLI deputy coxswain for St Davids RNLI lifeboat, said: “It was distressing for all the crew to witness the dog fall from the cliff, and our Y boat crew did a fantastic job in accessing the rocky shore so quickly. We wish the dog a speedy recovery.”