LANCASHIRE Constabulary is on the hunt for new four-legged recruits to boost its team of trained dogs.

The force's Dog training School is on the prowl for suitable hounds for general purpose work and searching.

Breed

Breed type is not essential but officers say German shepherds and Rottweilers are ideal for general purpose work while spaniels, springer spaniels, retrievers, Labradors, short-haired pointers and collies for the best for helping police in searching jobs.

Sergeant John Dean, from the constabulary's Dog Training School, said: "We are usually very well serviced with suitable dogs put forward for assessment. However, from time to time the number of dogs donated dwindles."

"Ideally dogs will be aged between 12 months and two years old. The kind of dogs we are looking for are bright, enjoy playing and perhaps even considered a bit of a handful by their owners." Over the years the bobbies in blue have used trained dogs and handlers for general police patrol duties as well as explosives, drugs, firearms and cadaver searching.

Animals are purchased from breeders and donations from dog charities and members of the public.

Dogs offered to the force undergo a preliminary assessment at the owner's home and, if suitable, is brought to the police's main kennels at police headquarters at Hutton, Preston, where a full test is carried out by trained police staff.

The assessment takes place in a woodland where the dog is tested on a number of manual and mechanical devices set up in fixed locations to test the dog's ability to co-ordinate, react, defend, dominate and concentrate.

Then, once the hound has completed all the hurdles of the test with flying colours it is given full training and taught to obey the handler.

People interested should call Sgt Dean on 618412.