A FREEZING, terrified dog was rescued from a rising tide by a brave volunteer lifeboatman yesterday morning.

Mark Nightingale dived into bitterly cold waters off the coast of Peacehaven to rescue the stranded Staffy.

Ruby had splashed excitedly into the waves while being walked by her owner along the Peacehaven promenade.

But she got into trouble in the surf and could not swim back to the concrete walkway. The steps had been cut off by the tide.

Ruby managed to crawl on to a strip of beach east of the Bastion Steps but her owner could not reach her there.

With Ruby wet and shivering on the beach between the cliffs and the rising tide, her owner waded into the water up to his thighs. But mindful of Coastguard advice and wary of the metre-high swells and rocky seabed, he retreated and called 999.

Brighton Marina lifeboat crew launched their rigid inflatable inshore rescue boat and sped eastward.

But on arriving at the scene they realised their craft could not get close enough to the beach to rescue the stranded pet.

So the helmsman turned to colleague and dog lover Mark Nightingale, 50, who had been walking his labrador when he received the 7.44am shout.

He dived into the 8C water to swim to the shore – and to Ruby.

Mark, a graphic designer, said: “We’d been told the dog was in the water and we were worried the owner might put himself at risk by going in after her. The helmsman said ‘will you swim in there?’ and I said, ‘that’s fine with me’. I love dogs.

“It was a bit chilly but I had a drysuit on. You can’t see where you’re putting your feet though and the seabed there is sharp and treacherous, so it wasn’t easy.”

When he got to the beach he clambered over to Ruby. “She was clearly distressed and shivering,” he said. “But she was very friendly and started wagging her tail straight away.”

Mark helped Ruby back into the water and the pair struck out for the promenade and waiting Coastguards – but the sea was too rough and they were thrown around in the waves.

Instead Mark guided Ruby the 30 metres towards the lifeboat, where another crew member joined them in the water to attach a winch and all three were helped aboard. Ruby was given an ambulance blanket – and cuddles. The boat then headed to Newhaven lifeboat station where dog and owner were reunited.

Roger Cohen, RNLI operations manager said: “It is always our advice not to enter the water to rescue your dog but to call 999.”

l Are you Ruby’s owner? Call Joel Adams on 01273 021379.