A WOMAN AND a dog have been airlifted to safety after they were cut off by the rising tide in North Clare.

The alarm was raised at around 3pm when the Irish Coast Guard was alerted to the incident at Barrtrá off the Lahinch to Miltown Malbay road.

The woman had been walking with her dog along the rocky shoreline on the southern side of Liscannor Bay when they were left cut off by the rising water. They were unable to make their own way to safety so the alarm was raised.

The woman moved away from the water and made her way to the base of the cliff where she remained until she was rescued. A number of local surfers spotted that the woman was in difficulty and made their way ashore to assist her. The two surfers remained with the woman until search and rescue crews arrived.

The Doolin unit of the Irish Coast Guard was alerted and requested to respond while the Shannon-based search and rescue helicopter was also dispatched.

A helicopter crew member was winched down to the location as waves began to crash onto the rocks near the woman and her dog. The winchman/paramedic placed the dog in a specialist animal rescue bag before the woman and her pet were both airlifted to the cliff above. They were met on the cliff top by Doolin Coast Guard volunteers.

It was established that the woman did not require medical assistance while her dog was also unharmed.

The operation was mounted and coordinated by watch officers at the Irish Coast Guard’s marine rescue sub centre on Valentia Island in Co Kerry.