A MIRACLE puppy has survived and fully recovered after falling hundreds of feet off the edge of a cliff after a training session went horribly wrong.

Barley was just four months old when he ran off the edge of Beachy Head after getting his lead tangled up with another dog's.

The beloved mongrel was lying in shock at the foot of the cliff where he landed when he was reached by rescuers 45 minutes later.

His owner Heather Gange, 28, from Jervis Avenue, Eastbourne, was at work at the time and recalled getting a call with the news.

She said: "I was in shock; I immediately put all calls on hold saying, ‘my dog’s fallen off Beachy Head!’

Barley was being taught recall by Heather’s uncle Peter and her mother, Beverley, at the time of the accident.

His lead became tangled with another dog's he had started playing with, causing their walkers to accidentally release their grip.

Heather added: “I think he saw the sea and didn’t realise it wasn’t at his level, so he kept running but instead of going in the water he fell down the drop of the cliff’s edge.

“It took my mum and uncle 45 minutes to climb down to find him. He was laying still in the same place the whole time in shock.”

Astonishingly, while Barley was bruised and had injured his jaw, he did not have any life-threatening injuries.

Heather added: “Lots of dogs have fallen over the edge and haven’t survived but after a couple of weeks of limping a bit while looking very miserable, he was alright again. I couldn’t believe it.”

A fully recovered Barley, now aged three, has now been named this month's Pet Hero by The Pet Hut, meaning he and his smitten owner are getting a pet hamper and a £20 voucher from their local Pet Hut in Brighton.

Heather also credits him with helping her through a break-up.

Gerry Loughran, managing director of Poundstretcher, which owns The Pet Hut, said: “We pride ourselves on highlighting the amazing stories shared by pet owners about their companions."