Glasgow And Ships Of The Clyde

A seaman from "Lady Anstruther" falls into water during a dog rescue at Irvine Harbour

From "Irvine & Fullarton Times" dated 6th January 1950

An incident which had all the ingredients of a cinema film thriller took place at Irvine Harbour on Tuesday afternoon with the main interest centering round a young collie dog who was an unwilling actor in the drama.
The dog, which was accompanied by two ladies, fell over the wharf into the river.
It managed to scramble on to terra firma below the wooden wharf via spikes which are fixed in the woodwork.
They could not however, entice the young dog to come into their arms and two seamen from the "Lady Anstruther," which was berthed at this part of the harbour, joined in the rescue work.
After overcoming many refusals to their overtures, the dog was at last caught by the sailors, hoisted aboard another steamer and thence on to the wharf, where, now very cowed and frightened, it rejoined its mistress.

In the course of the rescue operations, which took over half an hour, one of the seamen fell off a supporting spar into the water, but fortunately soon recovered his equilibrium and got off with a thorough drenching.