IT is a shaggy dog story to warm the coldest of hearts.

A seven-week-old German shepherd dog found tied to a lamppost and which had been taunted with fireworks overcame the odds to become a police dog.

Now Jake, aged three, has been hailed a hero for saving the life of a woman who was perilously close to death.

The Northumbria Police dog earned his stripes on Sunday when he found the unconscious 39-year-old near a cemetery, an hour after she went missing from her home in South Shields, South Tyneside.

Jake's handler, PC Alistair Cairnie-Coates, said: ''The fact the woman was found so quickly undoubtedly saved her life, as she was so deeply hidden you could barely tell she was there.

''And Jake knew he'd done well because he sensed the sheer feeling of relief that we all had when this woman was eventually located.''

Inspector Peter Sutton said: ''It's quite clear from other officers who were present during the search that without Jake, the outcome of this incident would probably have been very different.''