THEY say only cats have nine lives, but Tommy the rescue dog – who survived a staggering 80ft cliff top plummet – is doing his best to change that perception.

RNLI volunteers were astonished to discover the timid border collie darting along the beach after his horrified owners watched him plunge over the side of a Studland cliff.

He’d charged through bushes on the path between South Beach and Old Harry Rocks, unaware of the steep drop the other side.

Owner Christine Carter, who was on holiday from the Midlands when Monday afternoon’s drama unfolded, said: “We were up on the top and he just shot through the gorse.

“First of all he was caught on a ledge but we couldn’t get near him.

“Then we just heard this thump and a squeal as he hit the bottom, and that was the last we saw of him. It was horrible. We were searching for about an hour-and-a-half before the lifeboat found him.”

Swanage RNLI inshore lifeboat helmsman Tom Greasty, said it was “extremely lucky” Tommy survived.

“He went off at an area where there wasn’t a straight drop, he said. “So he must have bounced off the cliffs all the way down. It was amazing that he wasn’t more seriously hurt as the drop has to be about 80 feet.”

Five-year-old Tommy was fine, except for a few bumps and grazes, and after the RNLI volunteers managed to get him off the beach, there was a quick boat ride before an emotional reunion with his owners then a trip to the vet.

Tom explained: “He was running around quite well. One crew member got off up the beach and another the other side and we managed to get hold of him.

“He is a rescue dog so was quite timid, but he was as good as gold on the boat.”

Swanage coastguard officers also attended the scene. Read their blog about the rescue. Tommy was given the all-clear by the vet.