A dog stuck in a river’s reeds meant a speedy diversion for Santa as he toured a village in his sleigh - and he also helped rescue a delivery man whose van was stuck in a ditch.
Santa and his Hemsby Broads Lifeboat elves were spreading good cheer in Acle when the crew was called out to an animal in trouble emergency.
The drama happened last night, December 8, at 5.45pm with the dog stuck in reeds by Polkeys Mill on the River Yare, two miles east of Reedham – and the owner was preparing to use an unsafe inflatable to effect his own rescue – despite nearby signs warning of “Danger Deep Mud”.
The dog was rescued by members of the Gorleston Coastguard team with the Hemsby Broads lifeboat launched but not used in the rescue.
A spokesman for the coastguard team said: “The team were tasked by Humber CGOC to reports of a dog stuck in the reeds by the River Yare at Polkey’s Mill.
“The owner was threatening to use an unsafe inflatable to rescue the dog. The area was signed ‘Danger Deep Mud’. The dog was safely recovered and the owner did not enter the water.”
However, as the Hemsby crew made their way back to Acle to take their fundraising sleigh around the village, they came across a Sainsburys delivery van stuck in a ditch.
Santa and the crew went to the driver’s aid on the lonely, dark country road and managed to push the van out of the ditch to allow the driver to carry on with his delivery.
The Broads lifeboat and its crew – and Santa – continued on to Acle to collect their reindeer, music system and Santa’s sack - and then reassembled the lifeboat back into a sleigh and carried on with the festive tour, and raised a brilliant £409.72.
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