Woman and dog rescued near Peak District waterfall

A woman has thanked a mountain rescue team after she and her dog became stranded near a Peak District waterfall.

Volunteers at Kinder Mountain Rescue Team spent seven hours saving the pair from near Kinder Downfall.

Kai, a four-year-old Saluki, was rescued from a ledge above a 164ft (50m) drop in "atrocious" conditions.

"We are certain that we saved two lives that night, not just one," the rescue team said.

The 26-year-old dog owner, who has asked to remain anonymous, was walking her four dogs near the summit of Kinder Scout on 27 April when she noticed Kai had climbed down on to a ledge.

A picture of Kinder Downfall taken a few years ago which illustrates where the woman and dog were stranded

The woman spent several hours trying to reach him before deciding to call mountain rescue.

With the weather starting to turn, the woman huddled around her other three dogs and waited for help.

She said: "I kept telling him [Kai]: 'I'm coming. I'll get to you.'

"I got to these rocks and I was looking at him thinking 'I'm so close to him'. But if I fell, all of them are stuck because no one is coming for them.

"I just curled myself around the dogs and I kept shouting to Kai to say I was still there and I wouldn't leave him."

Kinder Mountain Rescue Team said the woman had become "quite hypothermic" when they got to her. Rescuers managed to reach Kai using a rope.

"I can't ever repay them. I could give them everything I have and it wouldn't be enough," the woman added.

Members of the Kinder Mountain Rescue Team with Kai

Alan Howarth, deputy team leader in the Kinder Mountain Team, said the rescue was a difficult operation.

"After careful assessment of the terrain and the situation, we decided to implement a full rope rescue to retrieve the dog," Mr Howarth said.

"This involved the whole team carrying a significant amount of equipment to the Downfall and rigging it in the dark.

"She did absolutely the right thing in calling for help and we are certain that we saved two lives that night, not just one."