A woman who fell down a seven-foot hole along the riverbank on the University of Limerick's campus was saved by her dog.

Mairead Guerin, a mother of three, had been bringing her son's dog, Oden, for a walk along the riverbank when it gave way and she fell seven-feet into a drain. The bank had been closed off last year due to flooding.

She told The Irish Times, "I knew the drain was there, but it was never as big as it is now. I nearly drowned. I couldn’t get back up out of the drain. I was completely under the water and couldn’t get my balance.

“I couldn’t get out only that I have a husky, and he’s a pulling dog and I was able to grab on to him to pull me out,” she said.

She added, "I wasn’t able to get up on my own, and kept slipping back down. It was so mucky I was being suctioned down.  His lead fell over the side of the drain, and I grabbed on to it. He pulled away and levered me up.”

The Husky breed hails from the Siberian Arctic, and they were bred by the Chukchi people of Northeastern Asia to pull heavy loads in severe weather over long distances.

Guerin had bought the dog for her son Edward just one year ago.

The area by the river banks has now been blocked off. The university issued a statement which read, "In the interest of public safety the University of Limerick has erected a barrier at this area on the riverbank in order to avoid a recurrence of this unfortunate incident.”