The bell tolls for pub's talented pooch

Daisy had been letting pub regulars know when it was last orders at The Three Tuns in Bristol by leaping out of her basket and on to the bar, where she balanced on her hind legs and rung the bell.

Two-year-old Daisy's owner, landlord Ned Clarke, 28, yesterday said the decision to put her down was "the hardest decision" of his life.

On November 11 – Mr Clarke's birthday – he had to make the decision to let Daisy go when he found out she had been suffering from lymphoma, a type of cancer.

Mr Clarke, who had owned Daisy since she was a puppy, said: "It's been crushing and almost beyond words. She wasn't just another dog, she was literally by my side the whole time; it feels like losing a limb."

Daisy was put down two days later, after Mr Clarke returned from Belgium.

He hopes to spread her ashes on Clifton Downs, where he said she was happiest.