AN ANNUAL dog walk for a canine charity took place yesterday, albeit in reduced form, because of the foot-and-mouth outbreak.

Officially, the Walkover 2001 event in Durham was cancelled by regional organisers of Pets As Therapy (Pat), due to the risk of dogs inadvertently passing on the virus.

However, four owners from the non-risk area of Newton Aycliffe, near Darlington, went ahead with their own unofficial version.

Margaret and Mick Robson, with field spaniels Keegan and Darcy, and friends Robbie Robinson and Jane Hutchinson, with mother-and-daughter Weimeraners, Diva and Isla, followed the scheduled 2.5-mile route along the Durham city riverbanks.

Margaret and friends were still keen to maintain the recent tradition of the May Bank Holiday Monday walk.

"Unfortunately, we had to follow the advice of Maff and the council in Durham, which was based on the fact that some people taking part would be coming from areas at risk from foot-and-mouth.

"But as we're from Newton Aycliffe, which is not an at-risk area, and we already had our sponsors, we decided to go ahead with the walk.

"I've been doing it now for a good few years and so we just thought we'd bring the dogs up and give them a walk along the riverbanks."

Seven-year-old Keegan is a registered Pat dog, which means he is trained to be taken into nursing homes, hospices and hospitals to provide therapy for animal lovers unable to bring in their own pets.

Since the charity's inception in 1983, 13,500 dogs have been registered to the scheme, with 4,500 still active, while the first 50 Pat cats have also been recruited.

Further information about Pets As Therapy is available on on (01207) 236040.