PENDLE MP Gordon Prentice has sensed an opportunity to track down more criminals.

He is backing moves by the Home Office for the return of the distinctly low-tech bloodhound.

The Pendle MP asked Home Office Minister Paul Boetang what assessment had been made on the effectiveness of the bloodhound in helping to track down suspects and detect criminal activity.

The minister told him that last year the Policing and Reducing Crime Unit at the Home Office supported an application under the Police Research Award Scheme from Essex police to buy and train two bloodhounds and two German shepherd puppies.

The proposal was to train the puppies in an alternative tracking method known as scent discrimination in which the dog follows the individual scent of the person rather than the scent of the ground disturbance they have left.

The results of the study are still be analysed after which a full report will to to all police forces.

Mr Prentice said: "The floppy-eared hound may be low-tech buts its got a high tech nose.

"We could do with a few of them in Lancashire.''

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