Incredible journey: Bella the labrador survives 100 foot cliff fall... then finds her way back to holiday home she hardly knew (From Bournemouth Echo)
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Incredible journey: Bella the labrador survives 100 foot cliff fall... then finds her way back to holiday home she hardly knew
10:00am Thursday 23rd August 2012 in News
SAFE AGAIN: Bella with owner Chris Sexton at the scene of the drama
BELLA the dog survived a 100ft cliff fall and walked to the holiday home she had only been to once before.
The labrador was back at the flat while her owner was still desperately looking for her.
Owner Chris Sexton spent 30 minutes scouring the cliffs and beach before his wife called to say Bella had arrived home safe and well.
The 15-month-old black dog plunged off the cliff as she chased after a seagull while out for a walk with Chris, 68, at Peveril Point, near Swanage .
Chris, a retired company director from Salisbury, raced down to the bottom but found no sign of her.
Bella walked along the South West Coast Path and then made her way down several residential streets until she found the family’s holiday home in Swanage.
Family friend Michael Ayling peered out of the window and saw Bella bounding down the driveway towards the block of flats.
Chris said: “She is only 15 months old. I walked her down to the cliffs from the holiday home last summer but I would never have thought she would have remembered the route.
“I have no idea how she survived the fall, got back up the cliff and then found her way back home by herself. It is quite amazing.”
He said Bella had been well away from the cliff edge until she spotted the seagull.
He said: “She just went for it and then went over the edge with her legs splayed out.
“I thought it was the end of her and I looked over the edge and thought I could see her on the beach but didn’t know if she was alive or dead.
“When I got down there, there was no sign of her. I called and whistled for her but nothing.
“After about 10 minutes I called my wife Jo who was back at the flat to tell her what had happened.
“Then I got a call back about 20 minutes later saying Bella had arrived back safely. She was fine.”
Simon Williams of Portland Coastguard said: “It must have had a homing instinct.”
Comments(17)
oversixty
says...
10:53am Thu 23 Aug 12
No mention of the dog being checked for injuries !
scrumpyjack
says...
11:17am Thu 23 Aug 12
Morrigan
says...
11:18am Thu 23 Aug 12
Glad the dog is ok, but what a berk her owner is :o//
ScoobyVic
says...
12:27pm Thu 23 Aug 12
Franks Tank
says...
12:29pm Thu 23 Aug 12
oversixty
says...
12:49pm Thu 23 Aug 12
scrumpyjack wrote:Obviously you have no concerns for the dogs health and possible costs that are incurred when a dog has to be rescued!
'oversixty and grumpy with it' more like.
This owner as with many others is irresponsible!I would not dream of letting my dogs off lead by a cliff because I care about them!
Suggest you keep off the scrumpy before making such a stupid comment!
scrumpyjack
says...
12:59pm Thu 23 Aug 12
scrumpyjack
says...
12:59pm Thu 23 Aug 12
buickboy
says...
1:34pm Thu 23 Aug 12
scrumpyjack wrote:Maybe he's related to Pete Woodley ? lol
Grumpy is as grump does.... :o)
oversixty
says...
2:18pm Thu 23 Aug 12
buickboy wrote:Thankfully not that I am aware of!
scrumpyjack wrote:Maybe he's related to Pete Woodley ? lol
Grumpy is as grump does.... :o)
You a scrumpy drinker as well?
scrumpyjack
says...
4:13pm Thu 23 Aug 12
oversixty wrote:Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.
buickboy wrote:Thankfully not that I am aware of!
scrumpyjack wrote:Maybe he's related to Pete Woodley ? lol
Grumpy is as grump does.... :o)
You a scrumpy drinker as well?
"a scrumpy drinker as well" - genius.
*wipes tears from eyes
buickboy
says...
6:50pm Thu 23 Aug 12
oversixty wrote:Haha hah ha ! nice repost buddy !!! ha ha ha ! having a sense of humour ( unlike some people ) I can laugh at a joke at my expense !! xxx
buickboy wrote:Thankfully not that I am aware of! You a scrumpy drinker as well?scrumpyjack wrote: Grumpy is as grump does.... :o)Maybe he's related to Pete Woodley ? lol
buickboy
says...
6:54pm Thu 23 Aug 12
buickboy wrote:Sorry-- make that ' riposte'
oversixty wrote:Haha hah ha ! nice repost buddy !!! ha ha ha ! having a sense of humour ( unlike some people ) I can laugh at a joke at my expense !! xxxbuickboy wrote:Thankfully not that I am aware of! You a scrumpy drinker as well?scrumpyjack wrote: Grumpy is as grump does.... :o)Maybe he's related to Pete Woodley ? lol
elite50
says...
11:32am Fri 24 Aug 12
scrumpyjack wrote:You are obviously a Forest Gump fan!
Grumpy is as grump does.... :o)
This is all so predictable.
"Dog off leash"
Dog tries to kill local wildlife.
Dog falls off cliff.
Local wildlife happy.
Local walkers have one less fleabag jumping all over them.
All in all a good day all round!
"Breaking news".
Dog survives.
Oh well, the sun will still come up tomorrow!
Yankee1
says...
10:11pm Fri 24 Aug 12
SeafaringMan
says...
3:37pm Thu 6 Sep 12
elite50 wrote:- and the good news is that there was no necessity to turn out the RNLI for once.
scrumpyjack wrote:You are obviously a Forest Gump fan!
Grumpy is as grump does.... :o)
This is all so predictable.
"Dog off leash"
Dog tries to kill local wildlife.
Dog falls off cliff.
Local wildlife happy.
Local walkers have one less fleabag jumping all over them.
All in all a good day all round!
"Breaking news".
Dog survives.
Oh well, the sun will still come up tomorrow!
scrumpyjack says...
10:45am Thu 23 Aug 12