'Terrified' pet owner's warning after dog cliff fall

John Gaunt said he was "traumatised" when his dog, Bronte, disappeared

A dog owner has issued a warning after his pet fell 20ft (6m) when part of a cliff in East Yorkshire collapsed.

John Gaunt, 66, said he was "traumatised" to find his nine-year-old retriever, Bronte, had plunged to the bottom of the cliffs at Withernsea on the evening of 9 June.

RNLI volunteers have been praised after they rescued the pet and reunited the pair.

The retired civil engineer urged dog owners and walkers to be "very cautious and careful" while walking on clifftops.

RNLI Withernsea rescuing Bronte

Mr Gaunt, from nearby Holmpton, said the pair were not far from the coastal path heading home when Bronte, who was not on a leash, "disappeared".

"The cliff had given way and she'd fallen," he said.

"I looked around and found her over the cliff edge and struggling about. She then made her way down to a small spit of sand."

Mr Gaunt, a former mountain rescue volunteer, said the high tide and unstable cliff meant it was very unsafe for him to try to save his pet and called the coastguard for help.

He added: "I was terrified because I thought I was going to lose my dog with the incoming tide.

Mr Gaunt's 100-year-old mother donated £1,000 to the RNLI after rescuing Bronte

"Waves were lapping up around her. I think the stress and the trauma of falling must have put her in a bit of a trauma. She couldn't move.

"I thought my dog would be washed out to sea and there was no way I could save her. I was traumatised, but as soon as I saw the lifeboat I was immediately reassured.

"We know now that Bronte is going to be on a lead whenever she goes down there and I hope other people will take awareness from this terrible incident, which thankfully ended up as a good news story."

Mr Gaunt said the "incredible" rescue efforts prompted his 100-year-old mother to leave a £1,000 donation to the RNLI charity as a thank you "for the help and assistance they gave to me and my dog, Bronte".

John Gaunt has praised rescuers for their "incredible" efforts to rescue his dog

John Talbot, a trainee helm at RNLI Withernsea and part of the crew that saved Bronte, reminded walkers to "keep a constant eye" on their dog at all times and to notify others before heading out on long walks.

"If it's not a designated path, be very mindful that there are cracks that you may not be able to see," he said.

"The closer to the edge you get to those cliffs, the more risk you put yourselves at so be very mindful of where you're going."