A FORMER dog handler with the RAF is leading the way in the battle against animal cruelty in East Lancashire in his new post as an RSPCA inspector.

Simon Small has just taken up the role in the North West region and will have particular responsibility for Hyndburn and Blackburn.

Last year the RSPCA revealed they investigated more than 2,000 cases of animal cruelty in Lancashire, the highest figure in the North West, and there were 44 convictions.

Simon said: "This role is not just about investigating cruelty but promoting the prevention of cruelty.

"It is much better if we can prevent it in the first place than deal with it afterwards. But even if we can get it down to just one case a year that is still, sadly, one case too many."

Simon, 31, who originates from Crewe, joined the RSPCA under unusual circumstances.

He signed up with the RAF as a military police officer when he was 17 and later worked as a dog handler.

After 12 years he left and began to look for another career.

He said: "People often look for jobs with a similar background and a lot went into the police. But I fancied something different, where I could use my experience with dogs, so I applied to the RSPCA."

The application process to become an inspector is quite lengthy so Simon gained employment as a benefit fraud investigator for Redcar and Cleveland Council while waiting for his application to be processed.

This also proved beneficial for his current position, as he was required to work undercover.

His new job has also proved difficult in other ways.

He said: "One of the most upsetting incidents I have come across in Accrington was when I found a fox that had been caught in an illegal animal trap called a gin-trap.

"The fox was still alive and one of its back legs was hanging off. We had no option but to have it put to sleep and the worst thing was that the vet said it could have been there for up to seven days.

"The pain and untold suffering that fox would have felt is absolutely abhorrent and I find it truly horrific that that could happen.

"If people have problems with a fox or other pest on their land, we would always urge them to contact us to look for a more humane way of dealing with the problem."

The main problem in Hyndburn, he said, was the number of people who tethered their dogs in back yards.

He said: "While this is often not illegal, I do find it very difficult.

"And the RSPCA is desperate to see an update in the law which will introduce new elements to help in relation to this.

"I find the job interesting and am getting to know the area and local people."

The majority of Simon's day-to-day dealings are with domestic cats and dogs or tethered horses.

But any day could bring any job, depending on what calls the regional contact centre has had overnight.