Wolverhampton police rescue dog in a rowing boat
A Wolverhampton officer could be forgiven for having a feeling of déjà vu. For the second time in 18 months he found himself jumping into a rowing boat to capture a fleeing felon.
But this repeat offender is different to most…she has four legs, a wet nose and a wagging tale.
On a warm Wolverhampton afternoon the water at the city's West Park proved far too tempting for Lexi the dog who decided to go for swim. But the Terriers' doggy-paddling failed her and she soon got into difficulties.
The dog's plight had been witnessed by a visitor to the park who swam out to help the damsel in distress.
But his brave actions left the duo stranded on the boating lakes' island. So PC Ben Bates and PC Adrian Chandler turned Hawaii Five-O and commandeered a nearby boat to paddle out to pair.
Remarkably it was a similar tale back in October 2013 when PC Bates was called upon to do exactly the same thing, at the same park with the same dog! On that occasion he managed to coax Lexi into a boat before she jumped out and decided to give swimming another try - prompting PC Bates to take the plunge himself.
Thankfully this time Lexi remained on-board for the duration of the journey and she was soon back on the mainland with the man who had initially swum out to rescue her.
"They say dogs are man's best friend - and in the last year or so myself and Lexi have become close - too close for my liking. Thankfully for her on both occasions I have been patrolling nearby and been able to work with park rangers to rescue her," said PC Bates.
But while the St. Peters neighbourhood policing team officer admits that on each occasion the rescues raised a few smiles with visitors to the park, even more so with his colleagues back at the station, they should carry a serious message.
"Unusually for Britain we've had a sustained period of really nice weather - hopefully this will set a precedent for the summer ahead. On these warm days the open water can look tempting for a quick cool down but it is incredibly dangerous as Lexi has demonstrated.
"I'm hopeful that people will learn from Lexi's mistake and not take the plunge in dangerous waters across the West Midlands and further afield," added PC Bates.
