Hucknall vet treats 'skydiving' dog that plunged 160 feet off a Yorkshire cliff

Button, a nine-year-old cockapoo, was with his owners, who live in Oxton, when they went for a walk on top of Flamborough Head in the East Riding of Yorkshire, during a holiday.

Button saw the sea and thought he would like to go for a swim, but obviously did not realise how high up he was and plunged over the cliff edge.

Lifeboats could not get to where Button landed, because their way was barred by rocks.

Climbers then went down the cliff and, having reached Button, put him in a bag which was lowered to them by the Coastguard.

Having been rescued, Button was taken to a vet with what was at first thought to be just minor injuries.

But it was later realised his back legs were not functioning properly and he was admitted to East Midlands Referrals on Hucknall's Nottingham Road with what proved to be a spinal injury.

Stuart Brown, an orthopaedic veterinary surgeon at EMR, said that Button underwent successful surgery for the traumatic injury to a vertebral disc.

He said this was not a particularly unusual condition to deal with, but it was very rare in his experience for a “skydiver dog” to be the patient.

He added that Button was also remarkably calm after his incredible survival and did not resist being put in the rescue bag.