PAMPERED pooches celebrated their first birthday in style when the rovers returned to East Lancashire.
Dog lovers wanted to mark their pets' first 12 months by doing something different -- so booked a pub to hold a birthday bash.
Landlady of the Park Gate at Copster Green, Aileen Walmsley, spent the day serving up pints of water instead of beer.
Dog breeder Angela Pedder first unleashed the party plans to celebrate the first birthday of seven bearded collies.
The boozer was decked out with birthday banners and balloons as the pups were transported from their homes across the country for the reunion.
They ate dog-food cake, played a fastest sausage eater contest and went on a walk before taking a doggy bag home at the end of the day. Aileen said: "People say I must have been barking mad agreeing to do this but Angela is a regular customer and whenever she comes in she always brings her collie.
"One day she just asked if she could have the pub to hold a party for the dogs to celebrate their first birthdays. It was a great idea to get them all together again after a year and they had a brilliant time."
Angela, from Copster Green, bred the litter from her dog Bronte -- which competed at Crufts last year -- and a friend's dog called Duggie. She kept one of the seven pups called Alice but gave up the rest. She wanted to keep in touch with the owners as it was the first time she had bred a litter. Pretending Alice had thrown a party for her siblings seemed like the perfect chance for a reunion. The owners thought so too as Derek Stopforth from Colne with Angie, Pat Brown from Chorley with Mollie, Alec Prescott from Hesketh Bank with Bramwell, Andrew Brown from Nottingham with Eddie and John Kenna from Liverpool with Jethro all turned up. Only one owner and pet couldn't make the day.
Angela said: "I had the idea because everybody was so keen to keep in touch. We thought it would be a fun way to remain in contact and I'm delighted they all turned up. They are boisterous but intelligent dogs. They need a lot of attention but they are rewarding and great characters -- the clowns of the dog world."
Husband and wife, Andrew and Lisa Brown set off at 5.30am from Nottingham with their dog, Eddie. Lisa said: "The party was brilliant. It was good to see they all look similar and realise that we are doing it right with Eddie.
"We got an invitation through the post and all my friends thought I was mad when I said I am going to a birthday party for dogs."
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