A hound was saved by mountain rescue volunteers after it fell almost 330ft from a Lake District crag.
Cockermouth Mountain Rescue team was called out on Saturday night after climbers in the Burtness Comb area heard lots of noise from the direction of Sheepbone Buttress and White Cove.
The team said: “They heard a loud thump far below them and could see and hear two hounds trapped high up on a ledge. They investigated, fearing that someone had fallen a significant distance.”
When they investigated, they discovered a dog at the base of the crag, injured but still alive.
The team added: “Despite the fall, the poor hound was able to walk. They escorted him to Gatesgarth. The remaining two dogs were rescued by another climber while the team was still ascending and thankfully they were uninjured. They had gone astray from a nearby trail earlier in the day.”
The injured dog was collected and taken to the on-call vet in Cockermouth, where it is still receiving treatment.
The team said: “We are immensely grateful to the different groups of climbers who gave up their time to help these distressed animals – even just for all being up there rock climbing on a pretty cold January evening – fair play! – as well as to the farmers and a vet at Gatesgarth, and the huntsmaster who were all very kind and eager to help.
“While we train to deliver first aid to people, it’s quite an unfamiliar experience when we encounter an injured animal.”
Fiona Dixon, secretary of the Hound Trailing Association, said: “On behalf of the Hound Trailing Association, we would just like to confirm that it wasn’t one of our hounds. However we would like to wish the hound a speedy recovery.”
