Watch as firefighters rescue puppy from banks of the Water of Leith in Edinburgh

Chocolate Lab Mister Simms reunited with his grateful owner unharmed

HERO firefighters rescued a stranded puppy from the banks of the Water of Leith this morning before reuniting him with his grateful owner.

Boisterous chocolate Labrador Mister Simms bounded over a wall and plunged 12-feet to the water’s edge shortly before 9am.

A line rescue team from Tollcross were scrambled to Stockbridge and swiftly carried the nine-month-old pup up a ladder to safety.

Fire and rescue teams arrive at the Water of Leith

“They were brilliant,” said owner Robert Begg, 52. “They responded so quickly and what they did was great.”

Mister Simms was muddied but unharmed by his ordeal - though Mr Begg suffered a badly grazed shin as he slipped while clambering down the ladder.

“We were just out for a walk and been out for about half-an-hour,” recalled father-of-three Mr Begg.

“He was coursing ahead and there was a little wall, about three feet high. He jumped over it and I thought he’d gone straight into the water.

Mister Simms is reunited with owner Robert Begg

“I ran over because I knew there was a drop below and he was just foraging for sticks without showing any signs anything was wrong.

“I just couldn’t believe what he was doing, he’s only a puppy and is generally quite cautious.”

Consultant Mr Begg dialled 101 with police and then firefighters arriving within minutes to launch the rescue.

“I probably could’ve got down but then we’d both be stuck so I dialled the non-emergency number because I didn’t want to phone 999,” added Mr Begg.

Mobile footage shows the rescue team lowering a ladder from the Water of Leith walkway as Mister Simms bounds along the banks.

A firefighter makes his way down the ladder only for Mister Simms to give him the run around.

So Mr Begg joins the effort only to slip on the ladder before finally catching up with his panting pet.

“My shin is badly scraped and bruised,” said Mr Begg. “It’s taken the skin off but I was too embarrassed to talk about it.”

Three fire appliances and the line rescue team from Tollcross led the rescue that took a matter of minutes.

Watch commander Gavin Kotlewski said: “The rope rescue team from Tollcross were called to reports of a dog falling 12-feet over a wall above the water.

“We used a short extension ladder. It was a quick rescue before Mister Simms was reunited with his owner."