ON EASTER Sunday morning we were enjoying a walk with our dog in the lovely warm sunshine along Bude Canal. Leila habitually refreshes herself after her exhausting exercise with a drink and a swim in the canal before heading home.

However, on this occasion, she was unable to get herself out of the canal due to the steepness of the newly-renovated banks in the stretch above Whales­borough Lock. Some passers-by and ourselves were horrified to watch her panic increase as she realised she could not climb up, and disaster was only averted when I jumped in, fully clothed, to haul her back to the shore and up onto the towpath.

Fortunately, I am young and fit enough to have been able to rescue her. For our more senior or less able citizens, many of whom depend hugely on their dogs for companionship, this may not have been possible, with unthinkable consequences.

Beware that if your pet decides to avail itself of the coolness offered by the canal this summer, the steep banks created by the renovations may represent a real danger. In future we will be keeping Leila firmly on her lead and away from this situation.

Warbstow,