Investigation underway after dogs receive '˜electrical shocks' entering Worthing pond

Police cordoned off the area around Brooklands Par 3 Golf Course in Worthing, West Sussex, on Saturday afternoon after receiving the reports from dog owners. 

Worthing Borough Council said: “There were two incidents on Friday and Saturday in which the owners of dogs who had entered the small pond reported that their pets had received shocks.”

The fire service and UK Power Networks were called to assist at the scene and the public was urged to stay away. 

The area was made safe and reopened to the public at around 4.30pm. 

The council spokesman said: “All electrical power to the small pond’s aerator system and the golf course irrigation system has been switched off and the area is now open and has been declared safe.”

An investigation into what caused the electrical shocks is underway.

The spokesman confirmed that work by Rampion to link its offshore windfarm to the UK grid was not the cause of the incident. 

“The golf course has been closed for play for the past two years while Rampion work nearby to link its offshore wind farm to the UK grid underneath the park.

“This was not the cause of the incident at the weekend,” the spokesman said. 

“Worthing Borough Council surveyors together with our contractors are working to ascertain the cause of the incident.

“We are extremely sorry that the incident occurred.

“The area is now safe but our investigations into what happened continue.”

Police said the dogs affected were reported to be in a stable condition. 

UK Power Networks attended the scene on Saturday but a spokesman confirmed that engineers found no fault on UK Power Networks equipment.