A Darlington student has a new love in her life to help her celebrate her 17th birthday today.

Laura Jenkins, of Hutton Avenue, was chosen this week from 120 callers who wanted to adopt an eight-week-old shar pei puppy being offered to a good home by breeder, Helen King.

She specified that it should go to someone who would respond in kind to the special bond of affection the breed shows to its owner.

"The telephone never stopped ringing last Friday from the moment the puppy appeared in the newspaper," she told the D&S Times. "We had a huge response from all over the area and I want to thank everyone who called.

"It was very difficult whittling down the numbers to five or six and even more so when it came to the final two. But Laura fitted the bill."

Laura took the puppy home on Monday evening after being interviewed and told how to look after the pup, now named Zuki.

"I fell in love with her as soon as my mum, Pat, showed me the picture. But there were 80 callers before us so I didn't hold out much hope. I was surprised when she invited us to go around and amazed when she said we could take Zuki home with us."

Zuki will be on a diet befitting her pedigree status and her ears, the folds of her skin and her eyes will need special attention to keep her healthy.

Laura is a student at Darlington college of technology where she is working for a qualification in health and social care. She wants to follow her sister, Leanne, into looking after children with learning difficulties.

There is just one family member yet to fall in love with Zuki - Meg, their 12-year-old dog, who is still suspicious of the little interloper