AN ambulance service for sick pets is coming off the road because its founders are retiring.

For seven years, pet owners in east Durham and Hartlepool have been able to call the Graywall North-East Animal Ambulance in emergencies or to ferry their animals to routine vets appointments.

But today is the last day for vet David Wall, 60, and his friend and driver Ron Gray, 71, both from the Hartlepool area.

And with no one coming forward to take it over, the service, thought to be the only one of its kind in the region, will cease.

Mr Wall, a partner in the Clifton Lodge Surgery, in Hartlepool and Horden, got the idea from Holland where a charity runs ambulances for sick and injured animals.

He noticed that people without their own transport, such as the disabled and elderly, could not get their animals to appointments because many taxi firms were reluctant to carry them.

The service, which uses a converted Ford Transit van with fitted kennels and an orange warning light, has transported thousands of animals, mainly cats and dogs.

It has taken them to appointments with Clifton Lodge and other practices, to People's Dispensary for Sick Animals hospitals and to airports if owners move abroad.

The ambulance has also been called out to rescue injured animals such as deer.

"Quite a few vets' practices have their own transport but I don't know of any service that runs separate from a vet's practice like this,'' said Mr Wall.

"We would like to see it pass on to someone. It won't make money but we would like someone to do it as a hobby.''

Anyone interested in keeping the service going can call 0191-586 9783 or (01429) 272435.