ARDROSSAN's Coastguard team got 2018 off to a positive start at the weekend - by rescuing a stricken dog on the rocks near Saltcoats. 

Shortly after 3pm on Saturday, January 6, the team responded to a report of a dog in difficulty on the rocks between Saltcoats and Stevenston.

The team made their way to the incident immediately and quickly located Nico, a Staffordshire bull terrier, on the rocks approximately 15 feet below the promenade which runs between Saltcoats and Stevenston, having taken an unexpected jump over the flood defence wall.

A member of the public had also managed to navigate their way along the rocks to where the dog was.

With it being high tide, the team deployed a water rescue operator into the water from a stairway approximately 200 meters from the casualties location and was quickly on scene, with the team above on the promenade preparing to deploy a specialist animal rescue bag to the casualties below.

Nico the dog, who was frightened but appeared uninjured, was thereafter secured into the animal rescue bag and recovered to the safety of the promenade and reunited with his owner.

The member of the public, who had been given a lifejacket for their safety, was then safely escorted by the team’s water rescue operator back to the stairway and onto dry land.

A spokesperson for the Coastguard said: "Despite having taken a considerable fall, we are delighted to report that Nico is uninjured and seems completely unaffected by his adventure this afternoon."

With Nico and all persons safe and well, the team has then stood down and returned to station to complete the necessary paperwork an sort out all the rescue equipment used. The team has then returned home to continue with their Saturday afternoon, ready to respond at a moment’s notice to the next callout.

The Ardrossan Coastguard Rescue Team is on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to respond to those in need at the coast and beyond.

A spokesperson added: "We would always encourage dog owners to keep their dogs on a lead when at the coast or there is a risk of a fall and to avoid putting themselves in any danger should their dog get into difficulty.