A dog that fell from a path at Capstone in Ilfracombe was pulled to safety after an RNLI volunteer was swept into the water while trying to save it. The animal went over the edge at around 4pm on Friday May 15 and landed on the rocks below the cliff.

A HM Coastguard crew was called out first, but could not reach the dog by land. RNLI Ilfracombe then launched an inshore lifeboat shortly after 4pm to try to reach the animal by sea, as video footage showed a volunteer with the dog in his arms at the base of the cliff before a large wave swept both of them off the rock. The volunteer appeared to carry the dog from the rocks and into the water, then helped it swim towards the lifeboat waiting a short distance away.

The dog was safely pulled into the boat, and a colleague helped the volunteer aboard. RNLI Ilfracombe later said the dog was reunited with its owners after being brought back to the lifeboat station.

The rescue took place in choppy sea conditions and involved both HM Coastguard and RNLI Ilfracombe response teams. Paul Craddock, who witnessed the incident, described it as “very upsetting” and said: “Keep your dogs on a lead … the dog jumped over the wall.”

For the owners, the day ended with relief. For the crew, it was another reminder that a split-second mistake on a cliff path can turn into a rescue that puts both an animal and a volunteer in danger.