An 86-year-old hero had to have a little help this week as he risked his life to climb down to a remote Lagos beach to save a lost dog.
The German pensioner spotted the dog which he knew was missing from the home of his Brazilian neighbour, on a stretch of sand between Barranco do Martinho and Porto do Mós.
But the little beach has no access – thus the man’s difficult climb down.
Problems multiplied however when man plus tired possibly disoriented dog tried to get back up.
With the tide coming in, and waves precluding any thoughts of a ‘swim for it’, the octogenarian hero was in luck: someone above the beach saw what was happening and called in the cavalry – in this case, Maritime Police.
Using a jet ski (à moda de James Bond…), police reached stranded hero and long-suffering dog and whisked them both to safety.
Because of the time he had spent in the water, the man was taken to hospital, but pronounced fit and well, while the dog had a pit-stop at the vet’s, also to be given the all clear.
Both are said to be safely back home now, with a new ‘shaggy dog story’ to tell all their friends.
