A HEREFORD dog put his best paw forward when he featured in a BBC Sport Relief canine competition.

Fay Lloyd and her working cocker spaniel Ernie were chosen to take part in BBC Two’s Sport Relief show Top Dog.

The show – hosted by Gaby Roslin – features celebrities and members of the public battling it out to find out who owns the 'top dog'.

Fay said: “I’m in Paws for Thought Dog Display Team and an email was sent around to see if anyone was interested in applying. I wasn’t sure at first but decided to go ahead.

“I had an email back to ask me to attend the audition and then found out we had been shortlisted. I couldn’t quite believe we had done it!”

As part of Paws for Thought Dog Display Team, Fay and Ernie travel around the country to take part in displays which include agility, fly ball, obedience and jumping through fire hoops.

And it’s fair to say that Fay is a dog lover as an owner of two other labradors.

The show features 12 heats with two teams of three taking part in each. The fastest then goes through to the final but Fay is keeping quiet about whether she made it that far.

Celebrity team captains include former Olympian Sally Gunnell, Sharron Davies and former Strictly champion Chris Hollins.

Fay’s competition will air on BBC Two on March 14 at 6.30pm with other heats taking place up until the Sport Relief weekend which runs from March 21 to 23.

She added: “It was just the chance of a lifetime really. It was a brilliant, fun, fantastic experience and something I will never have the chance to do again.”