Cornish soldier adopts bomb sniffer dog

A bomb sniffer dog that survived seven tours of Afghanistan and Iraq has been adopted by a soldier who served with him.

Springer Spaniel Sunny is now owned by Army reservist Noel Earl, from Cornwall, who served with him while based at Camp Bastion in Afghanistan.

Mr Earl said the sniffer dogs were "worth their weight in gold" because of the lives they saved.

The 10-year-old dog's riskiest job was now just fetching a ball, he added.

'He is fantastic'

Now living about 4,000 miles (6,400km) away in Callington, Sunny has particularly bonded with Mr Earl's dad, Trevor Earl, and lives with him.

He said: "They save countless lives and they're worth their weight in gold.

"They deserve as much credit as anyone else deserves."

Trevor Earl said: "He is fantastic.

"I don't know what I'd do without him, and I think he knows it as well."