The 35-year-old man was walking the dog with his nine-year-old daughter when he slipped and fell around 20 feet after the pet tugged at the lead.

Firefighters, police, paramedics, coastguard crews and an RAF rescue helicopter all attended the incident which happened at 1700 BST on Sunday at Trow Rocks, South Shields, as the tide was coming in.

The man, who has not been named, was flown to Newcastle General Hospital suffering from spinal injuries.

His daughter and the dog were fit enough to go home immediately after the incident, a Tyne and Wear Ambulance Service spokeswoman said.