Woman and dog rescued from Fenland sluice gate

Crews from Ely and Cambridge were called out the rescue in Lark Bank, Prickwillow, at 5.55pm on Tuesday, December 21.

A specialist team of firefighters trained in water and animal rescues wore dry suits to enter the water using a nine-metre ladder to access the sluice gate, where water was about four-and-a-half metres deep.

They also threw a line and life jacket down to the dog’s owner after she had climbed down into the sluice to try and rescue the Collie dog.

Crews returned to their station by 8.56pm

Station Commander Paul Clarke said: “The owner had been walking her dog and there was a shot and the dog got spooked and ran off. She had been looking for it for hours before she found it in the sluice.

She then climbed down into the sluice gate to be with her dog before getting stuck.”

He added: “We understand how precious animals are but the owner had put themselves in extreme danger. With sluice gates you don’t know when they are going to activate.

“If the level of water had have crept up it might have activated the sluice gates and if that had happened she could have been dragged into the mechanism. We have to emphasise to owners the dangers of trying to rescue their animals. If your pets are in danger then please call the fire service.”