Dog missing for five days reunited with owner after dramatic Clifton Suspension Bridge rescue

A dog which was missing for five days has been rescued by firefighters from under Clifton Suspension Bridge.

Avon Fire and Rescue Service carried out the rescue on Monday 19 September, after the dog was spotted in distress on the banks of the River Avon, close to Clifton Suspension Bridge.

Phoebe, an akita cross, had disappeared near the top of Pembroke Road on the Downs five days earlier - on Wednesday 14 September.

Fire crews were initially called to the Portway area when a drone operator spotted what they thought was an injured animal.

It turned out to be a dead fox, but it meant rescue crews were at the scene when members of the public spotted Phoebe.

Karol Miksza, Krystian Maliszewski and Zbigniew Rebosz had been taking photos of the bridge when they noticed an agitated dog out of their reach on the riverbank.

Karol said: "We’d seen the posters about a missing dog and spotted Phoebe on the other side of the river, pacing back and forth in distress.

"We were looking for potential owners, but there was no-one to be seen."

They contacted the RSPCA to report the stranded dog, before crossing the river to attempt to help the animal where they found Avon Fire and Rescue’s animal and water rescue unit nearby.

"The rescue unit climbed down the wall onto the river bank and managed to safely get Phoebe bank on the sidewalk and reunite her with their owners."

Phoebe has since been reunited with her owners.