Rescue dog Indie goes to Crufts

Indie has been training for Crufts for months

A dog which was rehomed after being found injured and abandoned is to compete at Crufts.

Indie was fostered by Nadiyah Storey, from Hexham, Northumberland, who then decided to adopt her.

She will be competing in a team of eight from the Eclipse Flyball Club, based in Morpeth.

Ms Storey, 28, admitted they were probably the "underdogs" but said "the important thing is Indie loves it".

She said when Indie, who is a type of greyhound known as a Sloughi, was fostered two years ago, it was clear she had been badly mistreated.

"She'd been probably used in the hunting scene, maybe as a bait dog," Ms Storey added.

"She'd been attacked by other dogs and had cigarette burns on her body and was badly malnourished.

"She had so much love to give, we just had to keep her."

Nadiyah Storey says her adopted dog Indie is her best friend

Ms Storey's parents introduced her to the sport, which is a relay race over jumps between four dogs, after she rescued Indie.

"When we first went it was just to socialise her and she just zoomed around and had no interest," she added.

"But slowly and surely she progressed and now we are off to Crufts."

Other members of the Eclipse Flyball Club team

Eclipse is one of 16 teams which will compete at Crufts, after it won a qualifying event in Cheshire last September.

Ms Storey said: "People often comment Indie looks like she's smiling when she runs.

"For our little free rescue dog, to learn her name, to learn how to play, to be part of a team, that's more of a reward than anything else."

They will be running on the Crufts green carpet on 7 March.