An excited dog who jumped into the sea and kept swimming was rescued half a mile off Seaton Beach.
RNLI Lifeboatmen from Looe were called to help Willow the spaniel, after several members of the public reported seeing a dog a long way offshore.
A number of people on paddle boards and surf boards had attempted to reach the dog, but the tide and current had quickly taken her further out to sea.
Willow was reunited with her owners on the beach by crew members Clive Palfrey, Toby Bray, Aaron Rix and Goron Jones.
Looe RNLI’s lifeboat operations manager, Dave Haines, was close to Seaton when the launch request came in from the coastguards, and made his way to the beach.
Coastguards had requested an immediate launch of the inshore lifeboat, as the people attempting to rescue Willow could have got themselves into difficulties.
Dave said they had all done the right thing in staying close to shore and not getting themselves into danger by venturing too far out to sea, once they realised they could not get to the dog on time.
‘We don’t know why Willow decided to swim straight out to sea,’ he said, ‘but observers on the beach said they were surprised how quickly the tide and current took the spaniel out from the water’s edge.’