A PLAYFUL dog with an unhappy past has found a new home.

Staff at the Ramshaw Rescue Centre, West Auckland, named the one-year-old brindle cross breed dog Lucky when it was brought to them last week.

Kate Wilson-Cruddace, who works at the centre, said: "It had apparently been hit with a hammer, burned, locked in an oven and had a really hard life. But despite all that he was so well adjusted, happy and friendly. It always seems to be the same - the worse the story is, the nicer the animal is."

A couple who were in the centre when Lucky was brought in took an immediate liking him and have now decided to give it a home.

Mrs Wilson-Cruddace said: "The couple were customers here while the dog was being brought in. They came back and they are going to take him. The dog hopped straight into their car quite happily and off he went on his merry little way."