A LOYAL Labrador left to fend for himself in a northern city is looking for a loving home in Somerset. Len, a black Labrador cross collie was found on the streets of Hartlepool earlier this year.

A LOYAL Labrador left to fend for himself in a northern city is looking for a loving home in Somerset.

Len, a black Labrador cross collie was found on the streets of Hartlepool earlier this year. Dog wardens found his identification chip and returned him to his owners. But a few weeks later he was seen back out on the streets. When wardens tried to return him again the family denied all knowledge of him.

He was taken in by animal rescuer Rosemary Peacock, who lives in Draycott near Cheddar.

Rosemary is desperate to find Len a home as he was brought in with his pal Tyson the boxer, but while Tyson is now enjoying a new home, five-year-old Len has been left on the shelf.

Rosemary, aged 50, said: "Len is lovely and loyal but is usually over-looked when people come to visit.

"City dogs are used to being tough and independent so when people come to view him he doesn't leap up for cuddles like the others.

"He is very good with other dogs and needs a home where someone can give him lots of walks. He is really well behaved and won't chew the furniture or scratch.

"One lady contacted me saying she needed a quiet dog who was well behaved. Len fitted the description perfectly so a volunteer drove him to her home in Salisbury, but when she met him she said he was too boring.

"Len takes time to get to know people but once he is familiar he is loving, loyal and playful."

Rosemary is one of around 10 volunteers who work for Dogs Friends, a Draycott-based charity that takes in canines in need of a home. The charity usually takes around six dogs a week to foster until a permanent home is found, but this week they were inundated with 15 dogs.

Rosemary said: "The dogs usually come from Wales and north east England cities. Some have never seen the countryside before and get so excited when we take them out to the field.

"We really need to find homes for them all and people to help foster while homes are found."

Anyone interested in helping Dogs Friends which stands for 'Fund-Raising, Information, Entertainment, for Needy Dogs', can call fosterers Lynne on 01275 873859 or Tracey on 01454 250093 or visit www.dogsfriendsonline.co.uk