May 22, 2018 9.42 am This story is over 70 months old

Watch: Man rescues dog from Brayford

It was climbing onto birds nests to stay afloat

A brave man came to the rescue of a dog in the Brayford before pulling the animal and the owner to safety.

Onlookers were told the spaniel swam from North Hykeham before getting stuck in the Brayford Pool waters at around 5.30pm on Monday, May 21.

The owner said he had chased him from there and jumped in to try and get his dog before a man on his skateboard, who is a professor from the University of Lincoln, rescued the pair, bringing them both to safety.

University of Lincoln student Jessica Murphy, 21, saw the dog swimming in the water surrounded by high banks and posted a video on social media of the drama unfolding.

She told The Lincolnite: “At first we thought it was okay, but then realised it was struggling when its head kept going under water and it was trying to climb onto the birds nests and the rubbish to stay afloat.

“This was happening for what seemed like 15 minutes. I saw the boy who rescued it get off his skateboard and climb over the edge straight away, no hesitating, and by now about 30 people were watching and he was the only one acting.

“Then out of nowhere a man came swimming over and tried to grab the dog, but instead he was accidentally making it go under the water so he had to stop.

“The dog swam to the boy and he pulled the man and dog out the water. The dog was frightened of the train so he wouldn’t pass that bit so he was just swimming in circles.

“He had cuts on his legs from jumping in, but him and the dog were fine and his wife came and got them.”

The dog and its owner were rescued to safety. Photo: Jessica Murphy