BARK! The Herald Angels Sing.

A Hampshire rehoming centre is looking for new owners for the 12 dogs of Christmas – a dozen puppies from the same litter who are just six weeks’ old.

Their owner could not cope with the American bulldog-cross puppies and decided the best thing to do was to find them new homes.

Six girls and six boys make up the litter of a dozen puppies and the playful pets have all been given festive names.

Mary, Holly, Ivy, Robin, Elf and Tinsel are the females – while the males have been named Joseph, Noel, Rudolph, Frosty, Snowy and Gabriel.

Laura Boyle, 26, rehoming supervisor at the Blue Cross in West End, said: “Hopefully the festive names will encourage people to give a cute puppy the home it deserves this year.”

Contact the Blue Cross centre in West End on 0300 777 1530.