A HORRIFIED dog owner watched helplessly as her beloved pet plunged more than 25 feet down a sheer drop at Rivington.

Vicky Berry, 22, ran screaming to where her prized pedigree lay limp and lifeless in Rivington Country Park's terraced gardens.

Vets later told Vicky that her Somoyed, Lucy, had had a miracle escape and probably only survived because its puppy bones are less brittle than an adult dog's.

Now, the Farnworth woman is warning other people to take extreme care walking their dogs, or even playing with young children, in the area.

Called

The traumatic incident happened as Vicky was walking her seven-month-old along a well-used track through the hillside garden at the popular local beauty spot.

Vicky said: "Lucy just ran off. I didn't really think anything about it. I called her name as I carried on walking. The next minute I saw her come flying over my head. She made a horrible yelping scream before landing on the floor on all fours.

"She just lay on the floor and didn't move. I was shaking and crying and managed to carry her to my car."

Lucy was rushed to the vets who told Vicky, of Vernon Street, Farnworth, that her dog had been very lucky to survive the fall.

Vicky added: "I didn't realise what a terraced garden was. I don't think it is safe for anyone walking dogs or even taking out children."

Notices at various points of the park and in park literature warn people about the danger of steep drops in the area.

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