A GRANDAD who fought off a serious bug said the thought of spending Christmas with his special Lady had helped him through it. Alan Ridehalgh, of Union Street, Oswaldtwistle, was in hospital with a virus so dangerous that doctors kept him in an isolation ward.

But 64-year-old Alan fought off the illness and was sent home in time to spend his first Christmas with his beloved Jack Russell, Lady.

"I just had to spend Christmas with her," he said. "The thought really kept me going."

Alan was heartbroken earlier this year when his dog, Cindy, suddenly died weeks after being heralded as one of the oldest in the world.

After much soul-searching he bought Lady and since then the pair have proved inseparable.

Retired Alan was rushed to Blackburn Royal Infirmary after he collapsed at home. Doctors found he had a serious viral infection in his chest and liver and was left yellow with jaundice and missing two pints of blood. They were really worried at first because at my age it can be deadly if not treated properly. So they took me to Queens Park Hospital where they put me in an isolation room.

"I'm not out of the woods yet and I have to carry on taking my medication and go back for check-ups. But I'm feeling much better.

"I may go to my daughter's in Knuzden to see my grandson John, who is 15, but it all depends how I feel. Either way I'm spending it with Lady."

Alan had appeared in the Lancashire Evening Telegraph with his previous dog Cindy in August when it was revealed she drank four cups of Tetley tea a day.

After coming to the attention of Tetley and being offered a contract for an advertising campaign, she suddenly died.

At 24, 168 in human years, she was thought to be one of the oldest dogs in the world. Alan bought Lady soon afterwards to help him cope with the loss and since then she has won a special place in his heart.