Winnie, a black two-and-a-half-year-old flat-coated retriever was on a walk along Warkworth bridge when she jumped over the bridge wall into the river.

She landed on rocks and managed to scramble on to a grassy island in the middle of the river.

Fire crews from Amble and Morpeth were called to the incident at 9am.

After enlisting the help of a resident with a boat, firefighters were able to get to Winnie, who was kept warm until the vet arrived. She was assessed and taken to the river bank by boat to receive treatment.

Winnie will be without walkies for a while after being taken home on Tuesday with a broken foot and cuts and bruises. Owner Marj Cook said: "She's got a lot of little cuts, scrapes and bruises. The only major thing is her foot – it is quite badly cut and a couple of her claws are damaged."

Marj, husband Kevin and son Elliot, of Elm Court, North Broomhill, have had Winnie for just over a year.

Elliot went with firefighters to help calm her while they waited for the vet to arrive.
"She's a big part of the family, she's the baby, we wouldn't be without her," Marj said.

And she added: "She's very playful, and very tactile. She loves to cuddle and loves water. I think that could have been the attraction over the bridge."

Winnie is normally walked twice a day, usually along the beach, but on Monday Kevin decided to take her to Warkworth for a change. He was walking back to his car when Winnie jumped.


Speaking just after the incident, he said: "She just jumped over the parapet, she had been swimming earlier and I think she wanted to go back in the water."

Kevin has been left shaken by the incident. Marj said: "All he could see was her falling, the image of her crashing on to the ground, he's still in shock."

Marj thanked the firefighters for all their help in getting Winnie to safety, Barry Row, who lent his boat for the rescue, and residents who rallied round.