Firefighters rescue pet from icy water

A dog owner has paid tribute to firefighters who saved her pet after it fell through ice at a former quarry.

Five-year-old Bella was one of two black Labradors being walked near the River Trent in Collingham on Monday by owner Lesley Lowndes, of Henley, Oxfordshire, who was staying in Winthorpe with her mother.

Bella chased swans standing on the frozen surface of the former quarry.

The ice gave way and the dog was unable to drag herself out of the water.

Lesley considered crossing the ice to rescue Bella but instead rang the fire service.

Two appliances from Newark and specialist rescue units from Tuxford and Highfields were sent to the nature reserve, off Westfield Lane.

They used inflatable pathways to reach Bella, who was pulled clear. She was tired and cold after what was about 50 minutes in the water.

“Bella was obviously quite a lot heavier than the swans and she went straight through the ice,” said Lesley.

“She was quite a way out.

“I felt she was on the point of giving up but two gallant firefighters wearing protective clothing lay on two inflatable rafts, breaking through the ice with paddles and a boat hook where possible and sliding on the ice where it was thicker.

“They reached her and dragged her on board one of the rafts.

“She was incredibly cold but otherwise unhurt.

“I can’t thank the fire brigade enough. They were amazing.”

Watch manager John Fox, from Newark Fire Station, said: “We checked Bella over and put her in the fire engine cab, which was warm due to the engine running, and gave her a rub down to try to get some warmth back into her.

“Lesley was delighted to have her pet back and we were delighted to have been able to rescue Bella.”

Mr Fox said Lesley had been right not to try to rescue Bella herself.

“Parts of the ice were very thick but others weren’t,” he said.

“Even on her hands and knees she could easily have broken through.

“The advice has to be not to take a chance yourself but to ring the fire service and provide us with an exact location of where you are and let us do the rest.”