Pet dog safe after being swept away by floods

Islay, a four-year-old border collie, was out for a walk with its owner when it entered a beck at the bottom of Hala Hill in Lancaster and was carried away by the force of the water.

Firefighters were called to the scene, but after a search of the waterway the dog could not be found.

A fire brigade spokesman said: “Understandably the dog’s owner was very distressed.

“We were called out at just before 10 o’clock. The dog was last seen entering the flood water.

“Our crews searched the area, but there was no sign of the animal. At that point the flood water was still rising.”

But later the story had a happy ending when police reported the animal had been found and had been reunited with its owners.