by Terry Bearpark
A Holmpton man has made a substantial donation to Withernsea RNLI to thank them for rescuing his dog after it fell over the cliff.
John Gaunt was walking with his dog Bronte near the edge of the cliff close to his home recently when the crumbling ground gave way and Bronte ended up at the foot of the cliff with an incoming tide that threatened to engulf the pet.
John did not hesitate and a 999 call to the emergency services brought an immediate response from Coastguards and the lifeboat. The former mountain rescue member knew not to attempt a rescue himself as it could have made him a potential casualty as well.
Lifeboat crew were able to recover the shaken animal and take it to the station where it was reunited with a very relieved John.
To mark his gratitude to the lifeboat crew John presented a cheque for £1,000 on behalf of his mother Margaret to lifeboat operations manager Darren Hickey, who was also part of the rescue crew, at the lifeboat open day at Withernsea Lighthouse on Saturday.
Darren said: “The cliff edges in this area are so dangerous, they are just crumbling away, and anyone near the edge can soon find themselves in trouble. We are just so glad that this rescue had a good ending.
“We urge people to be so careful on the cliff tops and keep animals on a lead and away from the edge.
“We would like to thank John for his very generous donation, which will help us to continue our vital rescue work.”
Mr Gaunt said: “I am so grateful to the RNLI and Coastguard for their help in rescuing Bronte – they all did a marvellous job and are a great asset to the area.”
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, June 18, Withernsea RNLI’s crew responded to a kayaker in distress, thanks to a lifesaving call made by two fishermen who heard cries for help.
The crew arrived on the scene near Easington 15 minutes after launching, and were informed by the Coastguard that its helicopter would be available if they needed additional assistance.
A pilot boat and windcat were also nearby, ready to help.
Fortunately, the kayaker was wearing a buoyancy aid, and the crew swiftly and safely brought the kayaker aboard and began a casualty care assessment.
The kayaker was safely transferred to hospital by the Coastguard helicopter.
The lifeboat crew then returned to recover the kayak and handed it over to the Coastguard to prevent any potential harm to shipping, people or wildlife.
