Lucy the dog became stuck more than 45 metres up on a cliff whilst out on a walk, sparking a dramatic rescue.

Lucy, a crossbreed, ran up the cliff whilst walking with her owners at Ballard Down in Purbeck and became stuck about 150ft up on Monday, October 16.

Coastguard teams from Swanage and St Albans were called at 5.30pm and set up the rope equipment needed to put a Coastguard Rescue Officer down the cliff.

Faced with heavy undergrowth on the cliff face, the teams spent an hour clearing a path to get to the cliff edge. The coastguard officer was then lowered down the cliff to search for Lucy.

Due to the rising tide, the coastguard and owner at the base of the cliff had to return to Sheps Hollow and Swanage RNLI inshore lifeboat was requested to provide safety cover and eyes on the bottom.

Despite a very technically demanding rescue attempt, Lucy could not be persuaded to come to the coastguard and due to the terrain the rescue attempt was stopped, the coastguard officer recovered and the lifeboat stood down.

But the tale didn’t end there.

Most of the coastguard team returned to the station but two went to get their cars from the Ballard Estate. Whilst there, Lucy suddenly appeared and ran past them. Trying to follow Lucy the rest of the team deployed to help who had now got to Shore Road.

Despite efforts of capture, Lucy made it past and disappeared into town. The team continued to search the town with some heading to the home address and five minutes later Lucy made it home and sat at the gate waiting for her owner to come back.

All reunited the team returned to the station five hours after it all started.