A PET dog from East Lancashire will follow Dorothy down the Yellow Brick Road to become a stage star in the Wizard of Oz.

One-year-old Dangerous Dave from Rossendale, a mini schnauzer, beat off competition from four other dogs on the BBC1 show Over the Rainbow on Saturday night.

Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber called Dave’s owner Rachel Owen, 37, to tell her the news. Rachel, of Bacup, said: “It was so exciting to hear Andrew Lloyd Webber on the phone telling me that my dog had been chosen for Toto.

“He’s only one year old, but he picks up things really quickly and he’s a really sweet dog.”

Dave will perform at a gala performance at the Albert Hall next year, but rehearsals will start in summer. Rachel added: “He’s not a naughty dog, though he does like to steal socks!”

Dave was cheekily nicknamed Dangerous by his owner Rachel because of his innocent and soft look.