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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Kelly-Ann Mills

Emotional moment dog reunited with owner after falling more than 100ft over cliff edge

A dog who fell more than 100ft over a cliff was reunited with her tearful owner in an emotional video.

Sprocker spaniel Figgy was walking above Thor's Cave, a natural cavern set in a steep limestone crag in the Peak District, with owner Kayley Williams shortly after 6.30am on Wednesday when the dog plunged off the path.

Along with her other dog, Kayley, from Woodville in Derbyshire, desperately searched for Figgy around the foot of the craggy cliff but to no avail.

At some point while looking around the second entrance to the cave - which is known as the 'West Window' - she sustained several injuries.

Kayley contacted a friend for help and called the emergency services, who sent an ambulance to check her over, and she was found to have a fractured finger.

Derby Mountain Rescue Team were deployed to the scene to search for Figgy, who was still missing.

The team looked all around Thor's Cave, and descended on ropes to search some outcroppings and ledges, but failed to find her.

They soon started to send up a number of drones, which were able to locate the dog's body heat using infrared cameras, and positively identify her using a camera.

A rope system was set up, and team member Toby Green descended to retrieve Figgy from the base of the cliff.

He said the sprocker spaniel was so "wriggly" he had to resort to carrying her back up the rockface in his rucksack.

Miraculously, the plucky dog was largely unscathed following her ordeal - with the exception of some broken ribs. Toby said he was "gobsmacked" that she survived the fall.

He told the BBC: "Unbelievably there was not a scratch on her, I was gobsmacked.

"She did give me a little growl, because she was so scared, but after a few strokes she seemed happier.

"I was going to try to carry her down in my arms but she was too wriggly so I put her in my rucksack."

A video of the rescue released by Derby Mountain Rescue Team shows the emotional moment a tearful Kayley was reunited with her beloved pet.

Kayley said: "I had almost no hope. Mentally, I was choosing what to do with the ashes.

"When they said they had found a heat source I assumed it was her body and hoped it would at least be in one piece. But then they showed me her on the camera and she was alive.

"Even then I thought she might be paralysed or so badly injured she would have to be put down.

"When Figgy was let out of the bag I made a noise I don't think I can describe. It was unbelievable, I was just so happy and I was so pleased, she gave all the team a kiss, they were amazing."

The mountain rescue team was stood down by 1.30pm - just five hours later.

A spokeswoman for Derby Mountain Rescue Team said: "The team were called out on Wednesday April 19 at 8am to reports of a woman and her dog having fallen over the cliff above Thor's cave. (Although it turned out to be only the dog that had fallen).

"A lady had been out walking with her two dogs when one of the dogs 'Fig' fell from the edge above Thor's cave at around 6.30am.

"At some point whilst searching around the base of Thor's Cave, out the infamous 'West Window', and around the path to the river the lady had sustained several injuries. She called her friend for help and 999.

"The lady was checked over by the ambulance service and is suspected to have sustained a fractured finger, but was discharged by the ambulance crew to make her own way to further treatment.

"Meanwhile Fig A.K.A Figgy was still missing and the team searched around Thor's Cave, and descended on ropes to search some outcroppings/ledges.

"With nothing found, the team deployed our drone asset (a DJI M30T) which was able to locate the dog's body heat with drone's infrared camera, and positively identify using a 160x rgb zoom camera.

"A rope system was set up, and one of the team descended to retrieve Figgy and reunite her with her owner.

"We're happy to report that despite an extremely large fall, Fig appeared to have escaped unscathed, needless to say she got lots of cuddles from the team too!"

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