FERRYHILL Town Council has agreed to provide an overnight stop for a bilingual dog and its owner during a gruelling sponsored walk.

Sally, a two-year-old black labrador, was seriously hurt in a road accident before being rescued by a Sedgefield Borough Council dog warden.

After life-saving treatment at the Clifton Lodge Veterinary Surgery, in Sedgefield, dog trainer Ian Young took Sally into his care.

The animal was trained as a service dog in Germany to help disabled people and can understand instructions in German and English.

Mr Young is hoping to establish a training centre in this country for unwanted dogs, helping turn them into guide dogs, dogs for the deaf or for the emergency services.

He has embarked on a marathon sponsored walk with Sally, starting from Germany at the beginning of June.

He has travelled through Belgium and is now in France.

Man and dog are expecting to cross over to England at the start of next month and will be carrying collecting boxes as they go.

The walkers are expecting to arrive in Ferryhill towards the end of August.

Jamie Corrigan, executive officer at Ferryhill Town Council, has asked the borough council to consider a request for a street collection and is offering Mainsforth Sports Complex as a stop-over point for the evening when they arrive in the town.

Anyone wanting more information on the sponsored walk is asked to contact Mrs Young on 0191-388 6156.