A MUCH-LOVED dog which stopped breathing for ten minutes after plunging into the sea was saved by a 'miracle' kiss of life from a city builder.

Fluffy 13-year-old Tosca, who is almost entirely blind, toppled 20 feet into the Sound when he wandered off a wall at Mutton Cove, in Mount Wise.

Heartbroken owner Sylvie Paskins watched him sink and disappear while local boat-owners tried to row to his rescue.

But heroic builder Matt Darlington leapt into the freezing water fully clothed, swimming to the stricken pet and fishing him out.

When he got the Bichon Frise back to shore he was lifeless but, refusing to give up the fight, determined Matt and his pals fought desperately to revive him.

The 37-year-old spent ten minutes performing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on the back of the boat before – against all the odds – Tosca spluttered back to life.

He is now recovering at Sylvie's St Budeaux home after being given a clean bill of health by bemused vets.

The 59-year-old usually keeps Tosca on a lead, but let him and her other dog, poodle Mimi, loose at around midday on Sunday during a normal afternoon walk.

A couple walking along the seafront spotted Tosca's tumble and raised the alarm, thankful the tide was in.

But old age and cataracts meant the disorientated dog started swimming out to sea – before running out of strength.

Sylvie said: "I saw his head go under and he was just gone. It was horrible.

"I shouted to some blokes who were sat outside having a cup of tea and straight away they were trying to row out to him.

"The next thing I knew one of the blokes ran around and jumped in. He swam out to him, then slung him into the boat.

"When they got him back he wasn't breathing at all. He was dead. He was totally still, like a little rag-doll.

"One bloke kept rubbing his lungs and trying to get him to breathe, then another one opened his mouth and blew some air into him.

"It was like a miracle. All of a sudden we could hear him gurgling and then he just started to breathe again."

Sylvie quickly rushed Tosca off to the vets, and is planning a less dramatic walk in Mutton Cove this Sunday to thank the dozen or so rescuers in person.

"They were absolute heroes," she added. "The bloke who gave him mouth-to-mouth was absolutely brilliant. If it wasn't for him Tosca would never have survived – he's just so lucky."

Self-employed Matt, who lives and owns a boat nearby, denied being a hero.

He said: "I'm just happy the dog is okay. It was very cold but when he disappeared I didn't think about it, I just dived in.

"When we got back I held him upside-down first to get the water out of the lungs, then started giving him the kiss of life. Some of the others were rubbing his lungs but it must've been ten minutes before he started breathing again.

"I was just afraid he was going to come round and bite me on the nose!"