Families enjoying the last of the summer holidays witnessed a dramatic rescue yesterday afternoon.

A dog had jumped in the lake at Bedgebury Pinetum near Goudhurst and started chasing the ducks. After about 40 minutes, despite the owner's coaxing, the dog still refused to get out.

The anonymous rescuer saves the dog

By this time his extendable lead was fully extended and beginning to get tangled with the debris and weeds. This was slowing the dog down.

One bystander said: "We began to fear for the dog as it was being pulled under and struggling to swim."

Suddenly a man stripped to his underpants and jumped in the water, swam out to the dog in the middle of the lake and brought him safely to the bank.

The shivering pooch was immediately wrapped in a blanket by staff from the site's cafe. The near-naked man, who remains anonymous, was also given a towel.

Both made a full recovery. One mum said: "There were a lot of families about and for us it was a happy ending to a great school summer holidays.

She said: "All the kids were calling the man a hero!"

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