A LIFEBOAT crew from Minehead was mobilised on Saturday (August 16) when a dog fell off cliffs near Watchet and its owner became stuck trying to rescue the animal.

The incident happened in Helwell Bay on Saturday morning and saw a launch ordered for Minehead Royal National Lifeboat Institution’s inshore D-Class lifeboat.

However, the crew was quickly stood down when it was reported a local boat had been able to give immediate help to rescue the dog and its owner.

An RNLI spokesperson said: “When walking dogs near cliffs, always remember to keep them on a lead and if they get into difficulty, never try to self-rescue and put yourself at risk, call Coastguard on 999 for help.