St Bernard dog rescued from icy roof in Pitsea by firefighters

A breed of dog associated with daring mountain rescues had to be saved by firemen - after becoming stuck on an icy roof in Essex. The hapless St Bernard was spotted by a concerned neighbour, who noticed the animal on the slippery roof while the owners were out in Pitsea.

The neighbours called Essex County Fire and Rescue and a crew arrived at 10.10am yesterday (November 22), placing a ladder against the roof in the case the St Bernard slipped.

The crew used treats to coax the dog to move and firefighters were able to encourage it back in the open window they believed it climbed out of. The owners returned home just as the rescue mission wrapped up in 30 minutes.

Read more: Storm Bert on the way to Essex as Met Office predicts 'cold snap' will end this weekend

Read more: Met Office yellow snow and ice warning for Essex ahead of possible travel disruption

Watch Manager Geoff Wheal said: "This was a great example of teamwork to bring the situation to a safe conclusion. The dog was understandably frightened, but with patience and a few treats, we were able to guide him back inside without any harm.”

St Bernard dogs were originally bred to help rescue hikers and climbers in the Swiss -Italian Alps.