HE'S the saltiest sea dog on the south coast and is rapidly becoming the toast of sailors in distress.

For when Murphy, the seven- year-old black labrador, gets to the scene of a boat breakdown everyone knows help is at hand.

Equipped with a yellow and black flotation jacket, Murphy goes everywhere aboard an eight-metre rigid inflatable boat with his owner Rob Stickland who is chief engineer for the Hamble-based Sea Start.

The company operates a technical breakdown service for boat owners - very much like the service offered to motorists by the AA or RAC.

Members of the organisation get round-the-clock cover along the whole of the south coast from two boats based at Hamble, one at Lymington, another at Brixham plus a network of agents.

When Rob gets the call, Murphy is always ready to answer and takes up a tail-wagging position on the engine box of the boat.

Murphy took to a life on the ocean waves with 41-year-old Rob just over six months ago.

Rob said: "One of our members brought his boat down for me to have a look at and told me he was going to have to try and find Murphy a home because he was having to move into a flat.

"I offered to take him if he liked the boat because he was going to have to come to work with me. We had a two-week trial period and he settled in absolutely fine and hasn't looked back since."

Murphy now goes absolutely everywhere with Rob and is fast becoming a local celebrity.

Rob said: "Whenever I go to work he always comes with me because if I left him behind in the house I would get that really sorrowful look. Everyone knows him by sight now."