A SPRINGER spaniel had a lucky escape after she plunged into a canal lock in Stratford.
Neil Wilkinson was walking with his wife Joanne and five-year-old Jazz along the trail near Wilmcote when she tried to jump across the lock to investigate something on the other side.
But Jazz failed to make the jump and fell some ten feet to the bottom of the lock.
Neil, not wanting her to be scared quickly climbed down the ladder to be with her, while his wife called emergency services.
She continued to shout for help as Neil – in the water up to his chest – clung to the ladder and Jazz.
He said: “I was actually very worried because once I was down there we couldn’t get out and were were getting cold and starting to shiver.
“There was no way I was going to leave her.
“The emergency services were en route but I was not sure how much longer I could have held on.”
Luckily the duo were saved by the couple living at the lock keeper’s cottage who heard the cries for help and were able to fill the lock with water to help Jazz escape.
Neil described the ordeal as ‘scary’ as the lock keeper slowly introduced water to raise them up.
The duo emerged unhurt – apart from some bruising – and the couple thanked the lock keepers for ‘saving their dog’s life’.
