A lucky Labrador is looking forward to a very Merry Christmas reunited with her owners after she was swept out to sea during her morning walk.
Mike and Caroline Jenner feared their dog Quila had drowned after she was carried away by the tide at Sea Palling on Sunday.
• Video: Dog rescued by Happisburgh Lifeboat after being swept out by tide at Sea Palling
But the Stalham couple were overjoyed when they discovered the eight-year-old pooch had been rescued by lifeboat crews after being found cowering on a reef.
Mr Jenner, 71, said: 'From what was going to be a terrible, miserable Christmas it's as if all of that's been swept away and everything is wonderful.'
Mr Jenner had taken Quila and her daughter, Sunni, out at around 7.30am and the pair had got excited after spotting a seal pup in the water and leapt in.
Despite much whistling and shouting Mr Jenner could not get them back, as more seals kept popping up, and he began to get increasingly concerned.
'I managed to get Sunni back, I was waist high in water by then,' he said. 'I tied her up and then tried to get Quila who's now getting further and further out and totally ignoring me.'
He enlisted the help of two kayakers but to no avail, and soon after he lost sight of Quila.
The coastguard was alerted and Happisburgh and Sea Palling lifeboats scrambled into action, but Mr Jenner admitted he had 'given up hope' and returned home to tell his wife the devastating news.
But hopes were raised in the afternoon after a neighbour spotted a sign on the beach saying a golden lab had been rescued.
Mr Jenner contacted the coastguard and was put in touch with Sea Palling lifeboat.
A crew member had taken Quila - who had lost her name tag with the Jenners' phone number during her ordeal - home to get her warm, and brought her back to the station where she was reunited with her elated owners.
'I didn't think I'd see her again,' Mr Jenner said. 'It ended happily ever after.'
Mrs Jenner, 61, said: 'We're over the moon, Christmas was going to be cancelled. We really can't thank Happisburgh and Sea Palling rescue enough, they were absolutely fantastic.'
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