Bill Maynard with Tramp, who is used for the part of Alfred

Alfred, the canine star of Heartbeat, will be hiding a big secret in the next series of the Yorkshire Television serial.

He will be a she.

TV bosses are hoping that no-one will notice anything different about the grey cross-bred lurcher when the series filmed in Goathland, near Pickering, next hits our screens.

But they have been forced to find a replacement for canine actor Tramp.

The dog is used for the part of Alfred, side kick to Claude Greengrass, played by Bill Maynard.

Tramp, now 14, is going blind and has had to retire from the bright lights.

Trainer Sue Beal, of the West Yorkshire company Woofers, which supplies performing animals for films, TV and commercials, spent three months searching for an identical replacement.

She found three-year-old Rosie, the exact image of Alfred, except in one respect.

And while she gets used to the bright lights, Alfred is reported to be enjoying retirement.

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