A SUPERMARKET porter who jumped into the River Irwell to rescue a dog has been given a bravery award by Rossendale's animal warden David East.

Animal lover David Parkinson has a dog and two cats of his own so when told there was a dog in the river next to Asda in Bocholt Way, Rawtenstall, he didn't give a thought for his own safety and went in to rescue it.

Mr East, who presented David with an engraved tankard, certificate and toy puppy, the mascot of the National Canine Defence League, said: "What he did was very brave, but if anyone sees an animal in distress in such a situation I would urge them to think about the safety implications and call out the emergency services.

"There are procedures which should be followed so no-one gets hurt."

David, 58, got a pair of ladders and, together with another member of staff, climbed into the river and along the bank to try to coax the dog to leave a culvert it had gone into.

Lucky, a two-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier cross, and her pal, Labrador Max, had escaped from their home in Rawtenstall the previous night.

Lucky's owner Kirk Marshall, 18, from Rawtenstall, and his mum Julie, who owns Max, had searched for the pair but found only Max.

Kirk said: "We saw him looking into the river near the store, but when we looked we couldn't see anything. The next day we were told people were trying to get a dog out of the river."

Kirk went to the store and joined David and his colleague on the bank. There, after spotting her owner, the wet and thoroughly miserable Lucky decided to leave the culvert.

David said: "Lucky was so cold she was falling asleep. Kirk was not used to climbing ladders so I ended up carrying the dog up the ladder to safety.

"I am an animal lover and the last thing I wanted to see was the dog suffering."

Kirk added: "I am very grateful to David for everything he did."