A terrier called Patch has made a tiny bit of history by becoming the first dog to travel on Britain's latest heritage railway.

But it was only after the Weardale Railway, in County Durham, opened on a five-mile track at the weekend, after an absence of more than 50 years, that it was found no provision had been made for pets.

Steve Raine, chairman of the Weardale Railway Trust, admitted that in the rush to get the line running, members had forgotten about passengers wanting to take their pets.

It was even more embarrassing for Mr Raine because he is the owner of two dogs, rescued from animal shelters, which have travelled with him and his wife on heritage lines all over Britain.

"I had to make an immediate executive decision, on the platform as it was, to allow pets to go on the trains," he said.

The result was that when ten-year-old Adam Hobbs, of Thornaby, near Stockton, turned up with Patch, he was told the pet could travel for free.

For this year at least, passengers on the railway, which makes return journeys from Stanhope to Wolsingham three times a day up to September 29, will not have to pay for their pets to travel with them.

However, they are asked to make sure dogs are kept on leads, they are not allowed to sit on seats, and any mess is cleaned up.

* For more information about Weardale Railway services, call (01388) 526203.