Eric Broadhurst with Brit

Dogs of all shapes and sizes put their best paws forward as they trotted out at Birmingham’s NEC.

Sue Large and her daughter Josie, from Wellington, won best of breed with their pooch Brit, a 22-month-old border collie. “Brit has only been in the country a few weeks – she was picked from photographs, so I picked the right one!” said Sue.

“It’s wonderful. I’ve been in dogs for 40 years but it’s always a thrill.”

Brit was handled by co-owner Eric Broadhurst. Sue, 62, of Limekiln Lane, revelled in Brit’s success with her three other owners at the 120th anniversary of Crufts.

Brit will be one of 28,000 dogs to have passed through the doors at the NEC come Sunday and Mrs Large hailed the achievement of her border collie. She said: “I co-own Brit and we’re all very happy to have won. The whole day at Crufts has been absolutely brilliant.

“It’s extra special because the border collie group is so large, so Brit really has done especially well. Winning in such a big class is a real achievement.

“She is a lovely dog, a real sweetheart with a lovely nature. Brit has been brilliant and she performed really well on the day.”

And just over the south Shropshire border in Kington, Pyrennean mountain dog Charibere Secret of Ours at Chezannashcm, aka Teddy, won a best of breed rosette for delighted owners Arthur Ward and Christine Kenyan. Top honours also went to Lancashire Heeler Normansville Lone Star from Welshpool, owned by Mrs C Y Norman.

In the working dogs, Mr and Mrs T Williams, of Much Wenlock, won first place in the yearling dog with their Shetland sheepdog Lythwood Scooby Doo, while Chelmarsh Fancy Pants was on the podium with a creditable third in the mid limit bitch for Mr D Rigby of Shrewsbury.

And Belgian shepherd Kehala Shot in the Dark received a third place rosette in the post graduate dog section for Mr R and Mrs C Samuels from Ludlow.

A Bernese Mountain Dog called Vellbern Samurai from Tenbury Wells took third place in the Good Citizen Dog Scheme. The pooch is owned by Mrs S and Mr R Round.