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Second dog survives 50ft fall from railway bridge

David McKenna & Leanne Brown
BBC News
Sophie Theakston Sophie Theakston has blonde hair and blue eyes. She is wearing sunglasses on top of her head and a black hooded sweatshirt. She is hugging her pet Bertie while holding onto his collar. Bertie is a red-coloured Labrador and has his tongue hanging out. Both are looking at the camera.Sophie Theakston
Sophie Theakston said her dog, Bertie the Labrador, made "horrific cries" when he plunged 50ft (15m) from an old railway bridge

A dog owner has renewed calls for a sign to be put on an old railway bridge warning people about a steep drop after her pet fell about 50ft (15m) over a wall and was left seriously injured.

Sophie Theakston said she was unaware of the drop as she walked her dogs off-lead along the path from Kiplingcotes to Market Weighton, in East Yorkshire, on Sunday.

She said Labrador Bertie made "horrific cries" after he fell and suffered multiple injuries including three broken ribs and fractures to his neck and spine.

He is the second pet to fall from the same spot in six months. A council said a sign had been put up after the first incident in August 2024, which left a dog in critical condition.

Sophie Theakston Bertie lying on the floor at the vets. He is wearing a padded collar, jacket and has a red dressing on his front right paw. Two people are kneeling down next to him. One of them is a woman with her hair tied back and she is kissing Bertie above his left ear.Sophie Theakston
Bertie sustained multiple injuries in the fall, including fractures to his neck and spine and three broken ribs

Ms Theakston said: "Bertie had a fracture to his neck, a fracture to his spine, a broken leg, three broken ribs and broken teeth.

"He was not in a good way," she said.

An East Riding of Yorkshire council sign close to the bridge urges visitors to observe the Countryside Code, which informs owners to keep dogs on a lead or under close control.

But there is nothing warning visitors about the steep drop, Ms Theakston has said.

Leanne Brown/BBC Official council Countryside Code sign advising people to keep dogs on leads. Two unofficial signs have been tacked to a gate next to the council signs - one says steep drop ahead, the other says keep dogs on leads.Leanne Brown/BBC
Two unofficial signs appeared next to a council sign several days after the incident

Following the incident, at the weekend, two unofficial signs were put up, including one warning of the danger.

However, Ms Theakston said there needed to be a permanent official warning sign to prevent similar cases in the future.

"I never want other families to experience what we have gone through," she said.

Submitted Composite image. One shows the track at the top of the bridge running alongside a wall with fields in the distance. The other shows the bridge from below and a narrow road which runs under it.Submitted
Ms Theakston said a sign was needed to warn people about the steep drop

In August 2024, Labrador Cherry suffered five broken vertebrae in her neck, a broken wrist, liver damage and air around the lungs after plunging from the same bridge.

At the time, Cherry's owner Suzanne Mckeown told the BBC she too had been unaware of the drop and said there needed to be a warning sign in place to make people aware.

The incident prompted an investigation, which the authority said had resulted in the Countryside Code sign being erected, "but no other measures were deemed necessary".

A spokesperson for the council said: "We continue to urge pet owners to follow the Countryside Code and keep dogs on leads to prevent this type of incident.

"This is the same for thousands of locations across the East Riding. Owners are responsible for keeping their pets safe."

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