ORCA the golden retriever is a truly remarkable dog of many and varied talents - and now he has achieved another first.

Already he has won a bravery award and widespread praise for the way he looks after his disabled owner.

But now Orca is believed to be the first dog in the region to be officially recognised as a carer - and to receive a local authority allowance for his food and equipment.

Orca was paired with 23-year-old Cheryl Smith, of Heslington, York, by the charity Canine Partners just over a year ago.

The super-intelligent golden retriever can carry out an impressive range of tasks and chores. They include turning lights on and off, unloading the washing machine, fetching items from other rooms in the house, picking up the post and removing cassettes from the video recorder.

They had only been together for eight weeks when Orca saved Cheryl's life after her wheelchair tumbled into a ditch. He raised the alarm and stayed with her until help arrived.

His efforts on that occasion were honoured with a life-saving award from the canine charity Pro Dogs.

Now, because of his round-the-clock efforts on Cheryl's behalf, the City of York Council has officially recognised him as a carer.

"It has brought me great security and peace of mind because I can be sure that I can always provide for him," said a delighted Cheryl yesterday.

"Having a dog is expensive anyway, but Orca needs special food and equipment because he is a working dog."

As well as carrying out domestic duties for Cheryl, Orca is also a familiar face at York University, where he attends lectures with her.

Cheryl has just completed a masters degree in chemistry, but intends to continue her studies by starting a masters in research in the autumn.