A RESCUE dog has proved herself to be one of the town's top pooches after coming second in the Dandy Dog competition.
Ella is a Border/Lakeland Terrier crossbreed owned by 11-year-old Sophie Homer of Staincross who got the dandy dog from the RSPCA after begging her parents for a pet.
Sophie, who was given the all clear from leukaemia four weeks ago, first set eyes on Ella when she was recovering from a bone marrow transplant and considers the three year-old pooch her lifeline, helping her to get through the toughest of times with her illness.
Ella wagged her way to the final held at the Metrodome on Monday, beating hundreds of pooches to make it down to the final ten.
She impressed the panel of judges so much she won two of the four categories, taking home the prize for 'waggiest tail' and 'most obedient'.
Sophie's granddad, Keith Firth, of Moorland Avenue says she didn't get to see her beloved pet in action at the final because she is on holiday with her parents for the first time in years following her dramatic recovery.
He added:"When we told her on the phone she was screaming and shouting she was so happy, really thrilled to bits because she watched her go all the way through and Ella means so much to her."
