FUDGE has become the 5,000th Labrador to be housed by a charity which cares for homeless dogs.

The Labrador Rescue Trust was formed in 1988, to re-home pooches of that breed and now deals with an average of two-a-day in the South West of England.

Fudge's elderly owners, who live in the Cirencester area, approached the organisation to say they were no longer able to look after him properly. And, thanks to the Gloucestershire branch of the charity, he has been rehoused with a family in Bath.

Local area co-ordinator Belinda Filmer said: "Fudge's owners just wanted the dog to have a better life than they could give him - they put the dog first. "They're all beautiful dogs. Every single one of them deserves a good home."

Trustee Lady Aplsey of Cirencester Park and managers from Le Spa in Cirencester, which is one of the trust's sponsors, were around to bid Fudge farewell before his new owners collected him.