Rescuers had a shaggy dog story to recall today after saving a labradoodle from a watery fate off Southwold.

The dog fell into the water beneath Southwold Harbour at about 11.20am.

Fortunately for its owner, the coastguard were close at hand in the nearby lifeboat station and quickly steered by to help out.

By the time they arrived, the dog had managed to clamber onto a sandbank and was soon reunited with its thankful owner.

But it wasn’t a unique rescue, according to helmsman Simon Callaghan.

He said: “The dog had fallen off the harbour wall and was stranded in the river. It happened within sight of the station and we launched the lifeboat to retrieve it.

“Because of the way the harbour is constructed, it’s not too unusual for dogs to fall off.

“The problem is that dogs tend to rescue themselves, and it’s the owners that get stranded trying to save them while the dog manages to get to safety.

“Fortunately, this dog was friendly. Sometimes they can be quite anxious when we get to them. It was a happy ending for everyone.”