A LITTLE dog whose big adventure prompted a seaside rescue and brought Whitby to a standstill this week belongs to reality TV personality Francis Jones.

The star of BBC3 series Rent a Cop has now pledged to do all he can to support the “superheroes” who saved his dog Beautiful from a watery grave on Tuesday.

Mr Jones’ constant companion escaped from his car as he worked in a field close to the coastal town and was missing for hours before being spotted struggling in the sea.

Fishermen attempted to snare the tiny dog in their net but their valiant efforts proved unsuccessful and the RNLI lifeboat was dispatched in a bid to save Beautiful.

The Northern Echo:

RESCUE: RNLI volunteers helped to rescue Beautiful the dog in Whitby

Sparta Security boss Mr Jones and his wife, Rachel, had been scouring Whitby for signs of their beloved pet for hours, posting frantic social media appeals and praying as they attempted to track her down.

The pair are now hoping to do whatever they can to raise awareness of the life-saving work done by coastguards, the RNLI and its volunteers.

The Northern Echo:

SAVED: Beautiful was saved after going missing for hours in Whitby

Mr Jones, who is planning a fundraising challenge in aid of the charity, described what happened.

He said: “Everyone did everything they could to save Beautiful, they had about ten men trying to get her, I couldn’t believe it.

“I’d rushed down to the beach when I heard through my car window someone saying they were trying to rescue a dog in the sea.

“When I saw them bringing her in, she was like a drowned rat and I thought she was dead – everyone was watching, the town was at a standstill.

“She wasn’t even very happy to see me, she was just shaking and a nervous wreck.

“I have no idea what was going through her mind when she decided to go into the sea, she hates going in the bath.

“I really want to be able to buy these lads a drink and do something for them, they’re volunteers and they might not even realise the impact of what they do.

“They are superheroes and they’re absolutely amazing, without them Beautiful would have been dead and I would have been too as I would have had to jump in after her.”

Following the rescue, lifeboat mechanic and helm George Clemitshaw said: "The RNLI is a charity that saves lives at sea, and that means also preventing lives from being at risk.

"It is quite common for owners to enter the water after their dogs, so it’s always a good idea to call the RNLI who can rescue the dog quickly and safely.

"We would like to remind people to keep their dogs on a lead near deep water and to always call us rather than attempting a rescue themselves should a dog be in difficulty."

To donate to the RNLI, visit rnli.org/RNLI/donate-online.