TWO women nearly lost their lives when they attempted to rescue a dog from the sluice gates leading to Poole Park Lake.

Having both toppled into the water in an effort to reach the dog, June Webb and a mystery rescuer were swept against the gates.

Despite a fierce battle against the torrent, they were unable to free themselves and began to fear the worst.

Thankfully their terrifying ordeal was over minutes later when two male passers-by came to their rescue and dragged them out of the water.

The dramatic incident occurred while Miss Webb, of Lower Parkstone, was out walking her Golden Retriever Gigli and her two Bichon Frises Georgie and Larry.

And it has now prompted the 53-year-old to plead for improved safety at the gates.

It follows several incidents over the years where dogs have either drowned or narrowly avoided death after plunging into the water.

Twenty-month-old Gigli toppled in after discovering a gap in the fence as they walked from Whitecliff towards Baiter.

Both Miss Webb and the other woman attempted to rescue the drowning dog but the concrete sides were too steep for them to reach him.

In the struggle the woman lost her footing and toppled into the water. As Miss Webb took over the rescue attempt she also fell in - resulting in all three being swept into the gates by the sheer force of the flushing water.

The two women and Gigli were eventually rescued after two men waded in and pulled them out.

"It was getting to be an impossible situation," said Miss Webb. "It was a very terrifying ordeal. Had those two men not been there, there could have easily been a fatality."

Despite a few cuts and bruises all three escaped unharmed but Miss Webb believes it could have been a very different outcome.

She is now appealing to the council to "realise their responsibility to the public" and "re-address" safety issues at the gates.

Matti Raudsepp, open spaces manager for the Borough of Poole, has described the incident as "unfortunate" and one that the council is taking very seriously.

"The sluice is a necessary structure in order to manage water levels in Poole Park Lake," he said.

"Furthermore, flushing the lake is the only way we can hope to ensure that the algae problem experienced a few years ago is avoided."