Woman and dog rescued by coastguard

10:06am Wednesday 2nd July 2008

LIFEBOATS rescued a County Durham woman and her dog after they become cut off by the rising tide at Chourdon point, Seaham.

Coastguards based in Bridlington were alerted to their plight shortly after 1.30pm yesterday, when the woman made an emergency 999 mobile phone telephone call to report that she had become trapped below 80ft cliffs while walking her dog.

Coastguards requested the immediate launch of the two RNLI inshore lifeboats from Sunderland, and a shore-based coastguard team from Seaham Coastguard Station.

Clive Fallon, helmsman onboard the Sunderland lifeboat, said: "Unfortunately, the lady was unable to provide us with her exact location, so we were requested to carry out a full shoreline search from Grangetown towards Seaham."

As lifeboats and coastguards carried out the search, coastguard officers at Bridlington continued to question the women over the telephone in attempt to narrow down the search area.

During this time the woman gave some further information which led rescuers to believe that she was in fact located to the south of Seaham Harbour.

During the extended search the lifeboats located the woman and her Doberman stranded on a rocky outcrop.

The two casualties were collected from the shore by the smaller D Class lifeboat before being transferred onto the larger Atlantic 85 lifeboat for the passage to Seaham Harbour.

Once ashore the 39-year-old from Barnard Castle and her dog were met by coastguards, and given safety advice.

Mr Fallon said: "When we spoke to the woman after the incident it became clear that she did not appreciate that the tide times change day by day.

"It is important for anyone taking part in coastal activities to understand this and check the tide time's specific to the day of the activity itself."

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