One winter's day in October to November, me, Jed and Spinney went walking in Little Ribston Park. The river Nidd, which bordered the foot path was in flood, as were all the rivers in Yorkshire at this time. The sky was grayish, not much wind. The air was quite cold. As we set off leaving the car, which I had parked by the long gates, we set off up our usual path, turning left around the big fields; Spinney and Jed happily rushing hither and thither.

As we neared the top end of the fields, I thought I heard a whimpering sound - at this point, because the field and paths bent round to the right, the dogs were out of sight. The sound came again, and I looked to my left and there on the riverbank was our Jed’s ball. I looked more carefully, and there was our Jed in the swollen river. My god, where’s Spinney?

Rushing back a few yards I saw her; panting uselessly at the steep river bank, also in the flooded river, crying hopelessly. My god, both dogs were in the river. Jed didn't need much assistance. He is a good swimmer and can cope. So I said something like ‘Come on, Jed, find a way’ but Spinney being just a pup had no experience of deep water and was frantically trying to keep afloat. Hesitating, just for a few moments. I lay on my tummy. Spinney was just above splashing about and slid into the Nidd.

The journey seemed endless. I thought I would just keep going and finish up under the water. Suddenly, my feet found a ledge, the water up to my armpits, loose, branches addled around me, and Spinney was onto my head and shoulders immediately. I felt she would down us both if I didn't calm her down. I moved to my right and managed to hang on to the trunk of a tree.

Spinney was clinging onto my shoulders. At this point, my walking jacket, with its surplus pockets came in handy - billowed around me and seemed to assist keeping us afloat. I shouted the obligatory ‘Help, help!’ but then I realised there wasn't anyone near - no one you could see anyway. Then I heard our Jed shake, and I knew he'd managed to get out of the river. What a fine dog. So I thought I'm going the same way as Jed has gone. Heaving the tree I edged my way along the ledge keeping both Spinney and myself against a steep bank. I kept trying to get Spinney off my shoulders and up the bank, but she was too afraid. Then Jed appeared above us. Keep back Jed I shouted. I didn't want him to slip back into the water again. He kept looking down us. Finally with a great push. I got Spinney to try to get up the banks. Thank God she saw Jed and off she scrambled up to safety. That left me keeping going along the ledge. (Much easier now that Spinney wasn't weighing me down). Suddenly the ledge ended - I felt round with my left boot, on just the riverbank but luckily, plenty of sturdy ivy grew at that point on the riverbank so, flattering myself against the mudded wall, I grabbed hold of the plant and managed to get to a spot where lots of logs and branches had accumulated with the force of the floods.

I tried a couple of times to get my left knee onto one of those floating logs but they just gave way under my weight. At this point, I must admit to some fear. Anyway suddenly my knee found a firm hold and then with a strong pull up I managed to get the rest of my body out. I dragged myself back to the path and collapsed in a soaking heap, boots and all.

Both Jed and Spinney were jumping about like nothing had happened, while I sat absolutely exhausted. After a while we set off back to the car. Now unusually you'd never see a soul on the footpath. On this day I could see a man and a woman walking towards me. The thought did cross my mind that I would just stroll past and say nothing but, as we neared the couple, Spinney started barking at them and I just had to say something to them like “She might well be barking - she nearly drowned us all!” They could see from the bedraggled state that I was in I must have been in a river, so I had to explain! Perhaps it's just as why I did because when I finally got back to the car, I looked in the rearview mirror. The face that looked back at me was dirt grimed, streaked, my hair was plastered to my head.

I took off my jacket and top and trousers and put on a spare kagool that I kept in the car.

I soon felt nice and warm again. When I thought about the situation afterwards, I realised that Spinney must have slipped into the river while she was charging about and Jed, hearing her cries, went in to help her. What a star - and yes, I know it was a stupid thing to do to go rescue my Spinney, from the river Nidd and on reflection I would have to do it again, should the need arise. Please God it doesn't.