Stranded sheep rescuer describes her ordeal

A farmer who had to be airlifted to safety after trying to rescue two stranded sheep has been describing her unexpected predicament.

Sue Dale-Sunley had been alerted by a walker that one of her animals was apparently stuck in brambles at Balcary Point near Auchencairn in Dumfries and Galloway on Sunday afternoon.

But she ventured down the cliffs further than expected and became stuck herself, prompting a multi-agency rescue operation.

Ms Dale-Sunley, from nearby Airds of Balcary Farm, said she was surprised when a helicopter was called in to winch her to safety, but vowed: "I won't venture down there again."

The sheep eventually made it back to the farm safely.

Ms Dale-Sunley - who runs a holiday let as well as the farm - said the sheep grazed the shoreline between Balcary and Rascarrel to keep the area looking "as beautiful as it is" while also "doing their bit for biodiversity".

"I received a telephone call from a lady who had just walked the path to say she thought a sheep was stuck in some brambles," she said.

On going out to investigate further, she found it and tried to release it.

"I went down to the sheep and freed her, but then - as sheep do - she ran off and got tangled further down," she said.

"I could not leave her as she was, so just went a little further to free her again.

"She then ran off to join her other friend - only two sheep in total involved.

"It was then that I realised maybe I had gone down a little too far and had difficulty trying to climb back up."

She said she tried a couple of routes to get back out before she decided she might need a "little assistance" but had not expected a helicopter to be involved.

Ms Dale-Sunley contacted her family who then called out the coastguard.

"I have never sat still with nothing to do before for so long but I could not really go anywhere," she said.

"I won't venture down there again."

She thanked all the people involved in the rescue - the RNLI, coastguard teams and police.

"I think this is an example of multidisciplinary agencies working together at their best for a successful outcome for myself," she said.

Stranraer, Portpatrick, Ballantrae, Portling, Isle of Whithorn and Kirkcudbright coastguard teams were called out as well as a helicopter and Kippford RNLI.

Stewart Bryden, senior coastal operations officer with HM Coastguard, said anyone finding themselves in a similar situation should not try to attempt a rescue but instead call for assistance.

It was the first callout of the year for Kippford RNLI which said initial reports were that someone had fallen from the cliff.

It said the rescue had been complicated by sea swells which had made accessing the base of the cliff "tricky".