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Walton-on-the-Naze: Dog rescued after falling off cliff

News imageEssex County Fire and Rescue Service Bonnie the Shih Tzu on a cliff in Walton-on-the-NazeEssex County Fire and Rescue Service
Bonnie, a one-year-old Shih Tzu, was left about 33ft (10m) down the eroding cliff, which features flat layers of collapsed earth and drops

A one-year-old dog has been rescued by firefighters from a "precarious position" after she fell off a cliff.

Bonnie, a Shih Tzu, was walking with her owner, at Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex, on Monday afternoon, when she slipped and tumbled down.

She was found perched about 33ft (10m) down the 164 ft (50m) sandy cliff-face.

Crews from the Urban Search and Rescue team in Colchester used specialist ropes to get to her and she was rescued by 15:00 BST, the fire service said.

News imageEssex County Fire and Rescue Service Fire crews on Walton-on-the-Naze cliffsEssex County Fire and Rescue Service
The Naze is a peninsula on the Essex coast which is subject to coastal erosion and mud slides on its sandy, earthen cliffs

Nick Singleton, station manager, said: "We are so pleased that Bonnie has been rescued safe and sound.

"Our USAR team did a great job at rescuing her from the precarious position she got herself into.

"We would like to take this opportunity to remind dog owners of the dangers of having dogs off their lead near to cliffs like these."

He recommended that walkers should keep dogs on a lead and "well away from anywhere they could easily fall or get into danger".

News imageEssex County Fire and Rescue Service Woman with dog at Walton-on-the-Naze clifftopEssex County Fire and Rescue Service
Bonnie received lots of cuddles after her dramatic rescue, although the rescue team did not take the owner's name
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