Burbage woman praises Derbyshire firefighters who came to the rescue after pet husky fell into ravine

Arts worker Sarah Kell, 52, was walking ten-year-old Storme around Cavendish golf course, close to Bishop’s Lane, on Thursday, March 18, when the incident happened.

She said: “It’s somewhere we’ve been quite a lot during lockdown because it’s quiet, and we were just walking around as we usually do.

“Storme normally stays close to me and was just a few paces behind. I whistled for him to catch up and nothing happened. I turned around and he had just disappeared.”

Sarah panicked as she realised Storme must have fallen down the nearby ravine which has a stream at the bottom.

She said: “I first scanned the foot of the cliff and couldn’t see Storme, and then I spotted him about halfway up the side. He was just sat there silently, obviously frightened, not knowing what to do and unable to go up or down, and looking at me for help.

“He’s very cautious for a husky. He’s bright as a button and knew he was in trouble. A lot of other dogs would have tried to move.”

She added: “I was on my own and frightened too. It would have been impossible for anyone to reach him safely, so I had to dial 999.”

A fire crew of four arrived on the scene with ten minutes and weighed up the situation before deciding on a two-pronged approach – climbing a ladder from the bottom of the ravine, and pulling storm up with a makeshift hoist from the top.

Sarah said: “It’s the first time I’ve ever needed to call the fire service, but I knew it was going to take people with the right equipment and skills for the situation.

“They were just superb. I was beside myself. People might say it’s just a dog, but he’s more than that to me.”

She added: “It was just before sunset and if they hadn’t been so responsive we probably would have been still stuck there this morning.”

“They were absolutely fantastic, true heroes. I can’t thank them enough, especially with how difficult things must be for them at the moment.”

Storme stayed calm throughout the rescue but was visibly shaken when he safely back at the top.

Sarah said: “He was good as gold, given he didn’t know them and they didn’t know him. He never made a sound.

“He was quivering all over afterwards and I had to sit there with him for ten minutes, but all’s well that ends well.”

She added: “He’s managed to look sad a few times, but I think he’s just figured out that it will get him extra treats.”

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