On patrol again - the police dog who fell 40ft down a ravine

Gimley and handler, PC Tim Yates, had been hunting a suspect after a car had failed to stop for police in Gildersome, near Leeds.

PC Yates, 46, said Gimley picked up scent that took them into woods they weren’t familiar with at 9pm on Saturday.

During the search the six year-old West Yorkshire Police dog fell 40ft down a sheer drop.

He managed to get up and make his way back to PC Yates - and minutes later the suspect was detained.

PC Yates said: “It was dark, very steep, quite tricky to navigate through. We managed to navigate for some distance before being joined by the police helicopter.

“Due to it being a wooded area you started to get a bit disorientated and you lose your bearings a bit.

“We were walking in what we thought was the right direction towards our van and Gimley slipped on some muddy banking and went straight over a sheer drop into the ravine.”

He shone his torch and could see Gimley wasn’t moving.

“It was one of those heart wrenching moments and you think, worst case scenario, the dog is seriously injured but I can’t get down to him.

“Then he got up, hobbled, and started to make his way back up the ravine and has made his way all the way back up to me, which I think is quite a feat in itself.

“When I saw Gimley down there I thought the worst. Certainly as a dog handler it is our worst nightmare but I am sure it is any dog owners’ worst nightmare.”

PC Yates hopes Gimley will be back at work by tomorrow. A vet has confirmed he has no broken bones or internal injuries.