MEET Barney, the Blue Cross dog - he doesn't need a home, but he could do with drumming up some sponsors.

Fresh from running in the London Marathon, the charity's national mascot is set to hit the streets of Hampshire tomorrow in a bid to boost the animal shelter at West End.

Builders are set to move into the Goosegreen Kennels site at Bubb Lane next month to start a £400,000 building project.

The scheme will see the provision of a new cattery building, an isolation, admissions and veterinary block plus a large environmental project including tree planting and a pond.

But the Blue Cross centre is also hoping to include an all-weather dog run in the scheme and needs the cash to pay for it.

And that is where Barney is set to put his best paw forward.

On Sunday he will walk from the Bubb Lane centre to the veterinary surgery used by the Blue Cross in Winchester Road, Shirley, Southampton.

Centre manager Steve Broomfield is hoping people will dig deep to sponsor Barney's eight-mile hike.

The Blue Cross can be contacted by telephoning 023 8069 2894. Donations can be sent to the local centre at Goosegreen Kennels, Bubb Lane, West End.

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