PET owners are being urged to have their dogs microchipped next week when the National Canine Defence League visits East Lancs to offer the service.

The NCDL will visit the area to microchip pets and secured pet ID scanners so that officers at stations across the Pennine Policing Division can identify lost animals and reunite them with their owners.

Stray dogs pose a significant problem for police because the law dictates that they must take responsibility for the animals for seven days. This means housing and feeding them all for up to a week leaving an annual bill of around £18,000.

Inspector Dave Croll said: "Each year, around 100 stray dogs are brought into local police stations and many of them have no visible means of identification either because a collar hasn't been fitted or because the collar has broken.

"Luckily many of them are reunited with their owners but even then, it can take a day or two because people don't always report lost dogs to the police immediately - they often wait to see if the dog returns home first."

The microchipping, in Rossendale, follows an initiative in Burnley when 300 dogs were chipped.

The roadshow will be at Haslingden Sports Centre on Monday and Tuesday and at Waterfoot Library car park on Wednesday and Thursday.

It costs £9.50 or is free to pensioners or on receipt of a means tested benefit.