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Caroline Bowring raised £1,268 from 102 supporters
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Closed 15/01/2017
Iʼve raised £1,268 to Mersea Island RNLI - celebrating Ella's homecoming
- Mersea Island
- Funded on Sunday, 15th January 2017
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Story
ELLA IS FOUND! WHAT A DRAMATIC RESCUE
Three days after she went missing, and after being hit by a car, it came down to a dramatic rescue operation across the mud, Ray Island and Packing Shed Island as the light faded and local people went out in boats, on paddleboards and on foot to try and save her. At the same time hundreds were willing her to safely and following the minute by minute search and rescue on Mersea Locals.
Locals have been searching for Ella day and night since she went missing. Just as it looked like Ella might have succumbed to her injuries and be lying hidden away somewhere, a possible sighting of a dog swimming from Mersea towards Ray Island came to light late yesterday. Unlikely as it seemed, paddleboards and boats set off for the Ray today and there she was, very distressed and difficult to catch. Ella's owners made their way over in the hope that she would come to them but she had gone to ground.
Concerned locals gathered on the mainland and spotted Ella on the Ray. They were able to contact the search party on the island and guide them to her, but every time her owners got closed the terrified dog ran off.
Eventually she made her way from the Ray across the mud towards Packing Shed Island as darkness began to fall. There were urgent calls for boats and the RNLI, as she was clearly exhausted and could go out to sea. The RNLI launched and Stacey Belbin took the Lady Grace out. Just as the last light faded Ella tried to swim away. Stacey and Robin Gozzett closed in with their boats and cornered her, she was pulled aboard Robin's dinghy.
She is now safely on land and the Blackwater Vets has opened the surgery to see her.
The dramatic search and rescue has played out on the Mersea Locals Facebook group since Thursday, with worried Islanders coming together and searching for her from early in the morning until late at night, right across the Island. When word came through that she had been found there were scores of posts from locals, some in tears
Updates
2
- 8 years ago
Caroline Bowring
8 years agoWhat a lovely film of Ella's story https://www.facebook.com/BBCEssex/videos/1174114452644000/
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- 8 years ago
Caroline Bowring
8 years agoThank you all so much for your support. So many incredible individuals, companies and organisations played a part in this amazing story. I wanted to do do something to celebrate Ella's safe return. West Mersea Lifeboat Station is one of many vital services at the heart of our community, but it felt a very worthy and appropriate recipient. The Lifeboat did launch to provide support if required but locals residents reached her first. Ella and her family will be presenting the final cheque to West Mersea Lifeboat Station.
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Supporters
102
Tina Sharman
Jan 13, 2017
We have just moved to Mersea and feel very honoured to have become part of such a fabulous community. Such fabulous news that Ella is home safe.
£10.00
linda hamley
Jan 13, 2017
Love a happy ending, glad she's home safe x
£20.00
Anonymous
Jan 12, 2017
All for a good cause and a great outcome
Samantha Atkinson
Jan 12, 2017
Great idea in support of the very brave folks of RNLI
Karen Hagan
Jan 12, 2017
So glad Ella is safe at home.
£10.00
Anonymous
Jan 11, 2017
Wonderful community effort with happy ending
£10.00
Anonymous
Jan 10, 2017
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