The use of dogs by fire brigades has been hailed as a success.

A Northumberland hound sniffed out suspected petrol bombers. Phoenix and handler Dave Myers were called in to help Durham Police after one of their vans was firebombed.

Three officers and two street wardens had a narrow escape when the van was attacked in West Cornforth in July.

After the eight-year-old Labrador was called in, four people were arrested and later released on bail.

Phoenix was sent into the homes of suspects to search for fire accelerants in a series of police dawn raids.

The animal is one of only 13 accelerant detection dogs in the country.