A RESCUE of a man and his dog from cliffs has earned volunteers national praise.

RNLI operations director Michael Vlasto, wrote to Dave Cammish, lifeboat operations manager at Redcar, to praise the crew members for their work.

A man from Nottingham was cut offby the rising tide while walking his Scottish terrier around the base of Huntcliff, Saltburn, in November last year.

Mr Vlasto said: "The rescue service demonstrated first class leadership, and decision making by the two helmsmen, who were well served by committed crew members who acted in a most professional manner."

The rescue involved both RNLI lifeboats from Redcar.

The larger Atlantic 75 class lifeboat Leicester Challenge II, launched under the command of helmsman Mark Reeves, with crew members Judd Warrior, Greg Young and Nathan Hobday on board.

The smaller IB1 class lifeboat Jacky Hunsley was also used, with Andy Beevis at the helm and Barry Knaggs and Craig Pearson as crew members.

Volunteer helmsman Mr Beevis described the situation the crews faced.

He said: "The location of the man and his dog presented us with an extremely difficult rescue. There were huge submerged boulders just under the surface. While we were holding the IB1 lifeboat steady, ready to evacuate the man from the shore, the waves lifted it onto the rocks, damaging its hull.

"Once the man was aboard we decided it was too risky to use the engine, in case we damaged the propeller on the rocks, so a crew member from our other lifeboat swam in with a line and we pulled the lifeboat clear of the rocks."