Lifeboat and Coastguard teams called following concern for dog in the sea off Bamburgh

Seahouses inshore lifeboat and local coastguard rescue teams were alerted at 8.33am on Monday about a Golden Retriever in the sea off Bamburgh.

Despite the owner’s best efforts to call it back, it was having difficulty getting back ashore.

Just before the rescue agencies reached the scene, the dog finally got ashore unaided.

Seahouses RNLI volunteer press officer Ian Clayton said: "The dog owner did exactly what the RNLI advise by calling the Coastguard via 999 for assistance.

"We strongly advise pet owners not to enter the water to attempt to rescue their pet under any circumstances. Such action can put the pet owner at serious risk.

"We were relieved to learn that this dog managed to reach the shore unaided. Sometimes it can be safer to keep an excitable pet on an extended lead, to prevent the animal getting itself into difficulty in the open sea."