AN RSPCA worker who saved the life of a drowning dog should be given a bravery award, its owner said.

Joanne Dunleavy Nelson’s 14-year-old rescue dog Foxi got into difficulty when it went for a swim in Entwistle Reservoir, near Darwen.

She said, had it not been for the brave actions of animal care assistant Julie Vickers, her beloved pet would have died.

Humble Julie, who works at the RSPCA’s East Lancashire branch in Altham, said she couldn’t just let the dog drown.

Julie’s bravery was praised by bosses at the charity, as well as the police and United Utilities, who own the reservoir.

However reservoir users were encouraged not to follow her lead, as less strong swimmers could easily be drowned themselves.

Mrs Nelson, 42, of Blackburn Road, Edgworth, said she was walking her dogs Foxi, Saffron and Bailey around the reservoir with her three children, Saffron, 10, Finlay, seven, and Tristan, five, when the dog got into difficulty.

She said: “We had finished walking Foxi and Saffron and went to get Bailey, who has had an operation and can’t come on our walks, from the car so he could go for a swim.

“We have been doing this for 14 years. Foxi went in the reservoir but got into difficulty and started to drift away.

“It was terrible. My children and myself were hysterical with grief and didn’t know what to do.”

Mrs Nelson, a teacher at Rivington and Blackrod High School, said another woman jumped in to help, but got into difficulty herself. She said: “She had to be rescued by Bailey in the end, who pulled her back to safety.

“We were just waiting for Foxi to drown. I didn’t know what to do.

“One of my children ran away as he didn’t want to watch.”

Mrs Nelson, who is married to Andrew, said she watched on in amazement as Julie saved her pet.

She said: “Julie came and took her shoes off and swam right out.

“She got to Foxi and put a lead around her neck and pulled her back to the side.

“She really did go above and beyond the call of duty.”

Mrs Nelson said her dogs were as much a part of the family as her husband and children.

She said: “If we had lost her we would all have been devastated as she is a massive part of the family.

“I have heard since that other dogs have died because of this.”

Julie, 37, who lives in Darwen, said: “I was just walking my dog and I saw what had happened.

“I was just scared for the dog. I knew it wouldn’t be able to keep it up. I just knew I would be able to swim that far and jumped in.”

East Lancashire RSPCA branch manager Ken Harrison said: “We are really proud of the way Julie reacted and instinctively went in to save the dog.

“It was a fantastic thing she did and it just showed how much animals mean to the people who work for the RSPCA.

“However, while it was really brave of Julie, we wouldn’t recommend members of the public follow suit and jump in after their animals. If Julie wasn’t such a strong swimmer, this could have been a lot worse.”

HIDDEN DANGERS MAKE WATER DEADLY

OFFICIALS said although Julie Vickers’s actions were brave, swimming in reservoirs can be deadly.

A spokeswoman for United Utilities, which owns the reservoir, said: “It‘s nice to hear such a happy ending to this story because, all too often, we hear that swimming in reservoirs ends in tragedy.

“The water is very cold and there are hidden dangers so we always say never go into the water, whatever the reason.

“We don’t want to encourage swimmers and that is why there are no life rings around our reservoirs.”

The water company also warned people not to be tempted to take a dip in a reservoir as the warm temperatures continue this week.

Crew manager at Darwen fire station, Dave Forth, said, in this situation, it was advisable to contact the emergency services.

He said: “The majority of the time, a dog will get itself out of the water.

“We would advise people not to go in reservoirs as they can be very dangerous.

“There is no way of telling what the undercurrent is like or how cold it is until you are in there and it is too late.”

Chris Waring, station manager at Nelson fire station, which has a specialist water rescue unit, said: “Reservoirs are not meant to be swam in so they are unsupervised so if you do get into trouble, there is nobody there to help. It is also difficult to judge the depths of reservoirs. “

  • On Sunday, a 21-year-old man from Essex died at Royal Preston Hospital after getting cramp while swimming in Coniston Water in the Lake District. He was airlifted to hospital and died later that day.