A PENSIONER and his pet dog miraculously survived after his car crashed through railings and plunged 40 feet over a cliff onto an Aberporth beach.

Octogenarian driver Peter Boothroyd was rushed to hospital by ambulance suffering from a cracked rib and broken sternum after being freed from the wreckage by firemen.

A 999 call brought the Gwbert Coastguard Rescue Team, Cardigan RNLI Atlantic and Inshore lifeboats, police, fire and ambulance services racing to the scene on Friday afternoon. Mr Boothroyd is still in intensive care at Glangwili hospital, Carmarthen.

His 10-year-old pet spaniel Kim, who emerged from the wrecked car on impact and fled the scene, was found on nearby Punishment Hill the following day after an extensive search by villagers.

The drama happened at around 4.15pm after Mr Boothroyd, 82, had driven his Ford Fiesta into Dolwen Beach car park to take Kim for his afternoon walk.

Sam Ward, 36, of Cardigan, one of a group of fishermen casting off from the beach at the time of the crash, said: “I heard this big crash, turned around and saw this car coming over.

“He just seemed to come straight through the fence; he didn’t slow down or anything.

“The car flipped over once on the way down, hit the beach with a huge bang and came to rest on its side.

“Before we could even move this small black-and-white dog came out of the back window and shot right across the beach. My first thought was ‘whoever’s in there must be dead’.”