A NEWFOUNDLAND dog became the hero of the hour when he rescued a young girl who got into trouble while surfing.

Mia Summons, 10, was holidaying with her grandparents in West Buckland when she went surfing, with her grandfather Clive Wells watching from the beach.

The current at Bantham beach is notorious and it started taking Mia out to sea.

The story came to light when Mia, who lives in Redhill, Surrey, with her parents and twin brother Elliot, re-lived the event for an English homework project.

She wrote in her essay: 'The current was pushing me out further and further, until it was so strong I couldn't beat it. I to paddle for the shore, but the current was too strong. My surfboard was taking me away.

'My grandpa was on the shore going nuts – so nuts that he asked a Newfoundland dog trainer, who was on the beach with his dog, to come and save me! The dog took me back to shore and all was well.'

Seeing her distress, grandfather Clive had looked up the beach to see a man training a Newfoundland dog for sea rescue and asked if the dog could help Mia. He said yes and sent the dog out to her.

The dog swam around her so she could grab a handle on his lifevest before pulling her to shore.

Newfoundlands are considered to be the world's best rescue dog. Standing at around six feet tall on their hind legs and weighing around 12 stone, they are perfectly suited to work in the water.

They have a water-resistant double coat, a strong muscled tail which is used as a rudder, webbed feet, ears that cling close to the head and a strong swimming style.

Known as Newfs, they have been trained to leap from helicopters 15m above the sea and French Coast Guards have determined that a well-conditioned Newf can tow an inflatable life raft with 20 people aboard two miles to shore with out being unduly stressed.

According to the Colonial Newfoundland Club, 'the water rescue instincts of the Newf are particularly evident when children or other family members are in the water. The Newf takes his lifeguarding responsibilities seriously, quite often circling around and herding his 'family' to shore.

'They have an uncanny ability to sense when someone in the water needs help, whether a family member or stranger, and will immediately swim out to assist.

'Some dogs circle around the victim until they feel the person grab onto them, then head to shore; others will take the person's arm in their mouth and tow them to safety.'

Clive didn't manage to get the handler's name but extended his thanks to him.

If you and your dog were the rescuers, contact us on: 01548 856353 or at: [email protected]">[email protected].