A FIVE star County Durham resort is opening its doors to four-legged guests for the first time with specially designated dog friendly rooms.

Due to popular demand, Rockliffe Hall in Hurworth has allocated a number of rooms especially for guests wishing to bring their pets.

During their stay, dog owners will be able to walk their pets on a new, dedicated dog-walkers route through the 365 acre estate as well as take advantage of the nearby Yorkshire Moors and Dales.

Chief executive of Rockliffe Hall, Eamonn Elliott, explains: “We’ve been getting more and more requests from dog owners who want to bring their pets away with them.

“After all, we are at the heart of some glorious countryside, ideal for walkers and shooting parties. “We’ve now taken the decision, like many hotels in similarly glorious locations, to make a number of our rooms dog-friendly so that people can bring their pets and we have created designated areas throughout the resort for dogs so as not to compromise the high standards that people have come to expect from Rockliffe Hall.”

Dogs can stay at Rockliffe Hall for a cost of £15 per night, on top of the room tariff.