This is when a man risked his own safety to save the life of a sheep after it became stranded on rocks at the bottom of a cliff surrounded by rising sea water.
Chris Oxlade-Arnott, 51, and his wife Jilly, 55, were enjoying a nice coastal walk when they came across the animal stranded near a beach on Monday, August 7.
Jilly was taking holiday photos of the picturesque coastline in Woolacombe, Devon, when she spotted the sheep in one of her photos.
With the tide coming in, the pair decided they couldn’t leave the woolly creature to die and Chris began to climb down the bluff.
Incredible photos show the art gallery owner clambering over the jagged rocks to reach it, balancing precariously next to the crashing waves.
Jilly was taking holiday photos of the picturesque Devonshire coastline at Woolacombe Beach on Monday when she spotted the young sheep in her frame
The pair decided they couldn’t leave the sheep behind and Chris started to climb down the bluff
Chris had to reassure the animal when the animal started to panic towards the water
The unbelievable moment when Chris hoisted the sheep onto his shoulders and carried it to safety
He then managed to drag it over his shoulder and, after a 30-minute rescue mission, carry it back up the rocks to safety on higher ground.
The pair, from Pershore, Worcestershire, believe it had wandered onto the bluffs in search of food before being rocked by the rough seas.
Chris said: ‘She was hit by the waves, was drenched, clearly exhausted from clinging to a small ledge and seemed rather happy to see me.
“The rocks were jagged and very jagged, with steep edges and limited footholds, which were very nasty especially when wet.
So finding a suitable route to her was quite tricky, let alone finding a way back with a sheep.
“When we first saw her we thought she wasn’t going to get out of this on her own, in fact it’s probably going to get worse and end in tears.
“I don’t like seeing animals in pain or fear, especially when I can help.
“It didn’t look like anyone else was going to help or even see her, and it wasn’t something I’d concern the Coast Guard with at the time.
“I used to rock climb and I’m pretty sure of my feet, so I thought the best choice for me was to try a rescue.
“My wife, Jilly, stayed on the cliff to guide me and call for help when things got bad, but luck was on our side and the sheep were too exhausted to care.”
Artist Jilly and gallery owner Chris
Chris was applauded by a passing family as he led the sheep to safety
Artist Jilly, who runs The Gallery in Pershore with her husband, added: ‘We were camping for the weekend in our motorhome near Woolacombe.
‘We walked the coastal path in a circular route. Sheep roam all over the area and there are many on the cliff edge. But this one was over.
“I was taking scenic pictures and saw this sheep stranded on this rock. It stared at us like it said “help.”
“Of course it had been there for a while, but it was stuck. It vibrated so it was clearly saturated. It was trying to get away from the water.
“If we left it, it would die. We couldn’t run away. We couldn’t live with what ifs.
“I stood on the rocks and gave Chris some clues to where it was. He climbed down the rocks and assessed how to get to the animal.
“At first it panicked and moved towards the water, so Chris grabbed it and reassured it.
Finally he put it around his neck, held it by the front legs with one hand, and then scrambled up the rocks with the other.
‘It wasn’t a fully grown sheep, but it was quite large. It was about 50 kg or so.’
After being rescued, the sheep lay down for several minutes before returning to graze
Jilly said that after the animal was brought back to safety to the applause of onlookers, it lay down for several minutes before beginning to graze.
She added: ‘At first it lay flat, but we had helped friends run a farm so we knew not to turn it upside down because they could have a heart attack.
“We rubbed his head and we got him upright.
“She took a few steps and then just ate. She must be starving. A family applauded Chris.
“They tend to graze close to the edge. They’re actually kind of stupid. If they see a nice piece of grass, they go and get it.
“It’s whether you do it or not, and whether you take the risk. But we decided we just couldn’t leave it there to die.’