A major coastguard operation unfolded on the Lizard Peninsula yesterday lunchtime after a dog tumbled over the edge of a cliff.

Maggie the spaniel had been enjoying a walk with her owners at Kynance Cove when disaster struck.

Thought to have been chasing something, she toppled over the edge of the cliff, falling 50ft onto the rocks below.

Coastguards from the Porthoustock, Mullion and Porthleven rescue teams were paged at 1pm, to help in the rescue.

One member was lowered over the edge of the cliff to collect Maggie, who fortunately seemed unscathed from her fall, with not even a cut on her.

She was then returned to her extremely grateful owners.

Kirk Bird, deputy station officer of Porthoustock, was officer in charge and led the rescue. He said: "It was a really good job with a really good outcome, involving multiple teams including Porthoustock, Mullion and Porthleven coastguard rescue teams."

A spokesperson for Mullion Coastguard issued a plea to all dog owners, saying: "Please remember to keep dogs on a lead near cliff edges."

It is the second dog rescue of this kind in less than a month for the Porthoustock coastguards, who four weeks ago worked with Falmouth Coastguard Rescue team in saving a dog and its owner from a cliff in Mawnan. The animal had fallen around 40 metres and when its owner had tried climb down to rescue it he found himself stuck as well, unable to climb back up.