Woman ‘very lucky’ after running into rough seas to rescue dog

A woman has been hailed “very lucky” after risking her life in freezing surf to rescue her dog.

The woman dived into crashing waves near Palace Pier in Brighton in a risky attempt to reach the dog who was desperately trying to stay afloat, metres from shore.

“It was a wall of water which took the girl off her feet,” Alessandro Intini, who filmed the incident on Sunday, told the BBC.

At one stage, the woman was engulfed by a wave before she struggled to stand and waded towards shore.

She then turned back to grab the dog as it was pushed back onto the pebbly beach by the waves - and into the hands of a bystander who helped it to safety.

The daring rescue came as two cold weather warnings were issued for the area, with sleet falling over Brighton and Hove and snow settling on the nearby South Downs the following day.

Brighton and Hove City Council’s Chris Ingall told The BBC the woman faced being pulled out to sea.

“If she has been any deeper in, that wave would have come behind her, over the top of her and pushed her down into deep water,” Mr Ingall said.

“Fortunately, the force of the water pushed her back up the beach. Otherwise that could have been a very different outcome.”

The beach is known for its dangerous wave conditions.

In 2015, three young people died after being caught near Palace Pier amid gale force winds, the BBC reports.  

An off-duty police officer also died after being rescued off Brighton in February.

Following the rescue, Mr Intini said the woman appeared "very shocked and cold".

"Afterwards the family were all together. I was pleased that there was a happy ending."