'Miracle' dog rescued with help from a packet of biscuits after 100ft cliff fall

Tap to find out about Max's ordeal in this video report by ITV News Meridian's James Dunham

A dog was saved with the help of a packet of biscuits following a dramatic coastal rescue.

Six year old Max was being walked by Lydia Rafferty on cliffs when he ran off the edge, falling 100 feet into the water.

Miraculously, the border collie suffered just a cut to his lip as volunteers from the RNLI lifeboat station in Newhaven were sent to his rescue.

Lydia has praised the team who saved Max,

"There were moments where we couldn't see him in the water because of the overhang. So once the guys got there, they looked over the cliff and they were keeping an eye on him the whole time, communication was coming back to us.

Tap to watch the moment Max is rescued in this video from the RNLI

"It was amazing. As he got back onto the beach, it was a sigh of relief and he was running around like nothing had happened."

John Simcock, volunteer trainee coxswain, said,

"We all feared the worse really, there was no way a dog could survive a fall from that height. When we saw Max on the beach he looked a little bit sheepish, but he was moving around.

Max is reunited with the RNLI crew who saved his life Credit: ITV News Meridian

"It lifted spirits on the boat 100%, and we knew we knew that it was all going to be fine."

Once they arrived on the beach the lifeboat crew had to lure Max onto the boat but had some difficulty because the border collie isn't too keen on men.

After being lured by a packet of biscuits, Max was brought to the lifeboat Credit: RNLI

Thankfully, a packet of rich tea biscuits were left on board the lifeboat which James pulled from his pocket to persuade Max to go with him.

"Max seemed quite nervous when he saw us. Wasn't sure we're there in all our protective gear or helmets, our yellows, visors and things, so it would look quite scary to him.

"So I got the rich tea biscuits out and luckily they did the job. It's not standard piece of equipment we take on the boat. We got loads of equipment for different situations, all eventualities but it turned out it was some biscuits that saved the day."

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Asked whether Max would be more careful in future, Max's owner Janice Light who described the rescue as a 'miracle' said,

"Probably not, even running around the woods and that he runs into trees and everything.

"But I can't put into words how grateful I am to the lifeboat team, they saved my boy's life."

Cliff walks are now off the agenda after his ordeal but Max appears to be loving the attention, having received bones and a steak from a local butcher.