A DOG and its owner were rescued after the animal went over the top of cliffs at Barton on Sea.

Southbourne Coastguards went to an area near Naish Holiday Park yesterday evening after being alerted by the National Maritime Operations Centre.

Members of the Lymington Coastguard Rescue Team were also sent to the scene.

A Southbourne Coastguard spokesman said: "We were tasked to reports of a dog over the cliff along with its owner at Barton on Sea.

"Once on scene we established the location of the casualty and the dog, Blaze the collie.

"We then rigged up a technical rope rescue deployment and a cliff technician descended the cliff to the casualty’s location.

"We then put Blaze into our specialist animal rescue bag and the cliff technician was recovered to the cliff top. We then redeployed the cliff technician down the cliff again and recovered the dog’s owner using our rescue sling.

"With both Blaze and its owner now safely at the top of the cliff and not needing any further medical attention we stood down and returned to station."