A dog was left fighting for its life after it was attacked by a poisonous snake while out walking with her owner.

Tilly, an English pointer, was bit by an adder at Seascale after exploring in the dunes.

At first her owner, Jacqui Evans, did not know what had happened as she went frigid and could hardly move and it wasn't until somebody alerted her to the deadly snakes on the beach that she realised the terrifying reality.

The seven-year-old dog was rushed to the vets and Jacqui was told it was touch and go.

Thankfully she made it through the night and has since been discharged but is still in extreme pain and unable to eat and drink.

"She was running through the dunes just up from the beach and jumped backwards and fell down," said Mrs Evans.

"That must have been when the snake got her and she jumped back in fright.

"She came back to us and within two minutes was in toxic shock - she just couldn't move."

Jacqui and her husband managed to walk a little way with Tilly before carrying her to the car.

"I thought she'd maybe drank some salt water and was going to be sick," she said.

"But a man told us there were adders on the beach and said to get her to the vets as soon as possible."

They took Tilly to Galemire vets at Cleator Moor where she was seen immediately.

"I asked the vet if she was going to be okay and they said they didn't know, some dogs can pull through but they were unsure how bad Tilly was.

"It wasn't a pleasant evening at all. The vet told us if she went downhill during the night they would treat her first and let us know second. We were dreading the phone ringing."

The following morning the vet called to say that Tilly had made it through the night and her blood results showed that it was an adder bite.

Jacqui, who lives in Wales, was staying with her mum Muriel O'Toole at her home in Egremont.

Mrs O'Toole, who was celebrating her 75th birthday, said: "We were all so relieved when we found out Tilly was going to be okay. She was allowed home the next day."

Tilly was prescribed steroids and anti-inflammatory drugs for 10 days.

"She's just sleeping as she's full of toxins,"added Mrs Evans.

"She's in a very sorry state and doesn't want to do anything. I think it will be a while until she gets back to normal."

Tilly's mouth swelled to four times the size and spread down her throat. She was left unable to eat and had to be given water through a syringe.