A WOMAN has thanked a series of kind strangers who tried to help when she and her dog were almost blown off a cliff.

Charlotte Wilson was walking her black labrador Rosie between Rottingdean and Saltdean last Saturday.

The country was being battered by Storm Gareth at the time.

Shop assistant Charlotte, 56, said the wind suddenly picked up and she had to hang on to the clifftop barrier posts so they did not get blown along.

She sat down on the grass and hoped the wind would drop.

But five-year-old Rosie, who was on a lead, became nervous and dashed off before Charlotte could stop her.

She said: “When we walked to the top of the cliffs the wind got very strong.

“After 15 minutes it was still not letting up and Rosie was getting blasted and she was very frightened.

“She ran to the main road, Marine Drive, and I started waving. An amazingly kind person stopped their car and got out to help me.

“However, he struggled with Rosie and she got very scared of him because he was a stranger.

“His wife and children were also in the car and with so many strangers, Rosie ran back across the main road through the traffic.

“Cars had to stop to avoid the dog running about on the road.

“The another really kind man had got out of his car to try to catch Rosie but she ran towards Saltdean.”

Charlotte bolted after Rosie as she headed towards White Cliffs Cafe. She said: “I couldn’t keep up with her. I thought she was going to stop at the cafe, and if she did I planned to go in and buy some food to calm her down.

“But she headed towards Coast Road and then to Longridge Avenue.

“Traders came out of their shops to tell me that they had seen Rosie running past them.

“She made her way home to Nutley Avenue.

“It was such a dramatic day – it started at about 4pm and lasted about half an hour.

“It was a really frightening experience, you never know what could have happened.

“I do want to thank everyone who helped me along the way and I want to let them know Rosie is safe.”

Charlotte’s bad day was not completely over – she found she was locked out of the house.

She said: “When Rosie ran off, I called my son who was at home at the time.

“He rushed out of the house and forgot the keys.

“We had to break in through the back door.”