Stray dog who had 'tough start to life' joins Nottinghamshire Police

Russo, believed to be 14 months old, was initially rehomed by a rescue centre in Essex

A stray dog found wandering the streets near an airport has found a new lease of life by joining the police.

Russo had a "tough start to his life" when he was found near Heathrow Airport late last year.

The Belgian Malinois was introduced to Nottinghamshire Police where he was paired with a dog handler.

The pair have now completed an examination, and began their working life together the following day, the force said.

His handler, PC Lee Huffer, said: "Russo certainly had a tough start to his life - most of which we know very little about.

"What we do know, however, is that he has adapted to this new role extremely well and that he will make an exceptional police dog."

The dog had to go through training after an initial assessment

Russo - believed to be 14 months old - was initially rehomed by a rescue centre in Essex, before being introduced to the police force.

Police said his potential was spotted by expert trainers and handlers, and he began eight weeks of training following an initial assessment.

"The past eight weeks have been hard work, but they've also been really enjoyable," PC Huffer said. "Russo has been a joy to work with and it has been really rewarding to get to know a different dog.

"Like people, they are all different and respond in different ways and need slightly different approaches to get the best out of them.

"So far it's been a real privilege to work with him and I am looking forward to seeing what we can achieve together as a team."

PC Huffer said working with Russo was a privilege