THOUSANDS of dogs are descending on Newby Hall for the opening of the Darlington Dog Show tomorrow.

The three-day Kennel Club event has been held in the grounds of the stately home near Ripon for the last six years and will see 7,181 pedigrees strut their stuff over the course of the weekend.

Hounds, terriers and utility dogs will be in the ring today, and Sarah Allsopp, chairwoman of the Darlington Dog Show Society, said: “We are just hoping for decent weather because all the rings are outside!”

The event is a Championship Show which means it can help winners qualify for places in the national Crufts competition.