A VERY special dog has gained national recognition for the help she gives her owner.
Sacha the mongrel was named runner-up in the Rescue Hearing Dog Of The Year awards, organised by the charity Hearing Dogs For The Deaf.
Owner Michele Gatens relies on 18-month-old Sacha to act as her ears, listening out for anything dropped, and often picking it up before Michele knows she has dropped it.
Michele, from Scarborough, has very poor balance and Sacha is specially trained to fetch her owner's mobile phone when she falls down and is unable to get up.
Her husband, Terry, nominated Sacha for the award because of everything she did to help Michele.
Updated: 10:15 Tuesday, June 17, 2003
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