An operational search dog who has helped rescue 15 missing people is retiring from service after eight years in the field.
Diesel a 12-year-old black labrador retired from the volunteer group Suffolk Lowland Search and Rescue on Tuesday after being involved in more than 200 searches.
The team work with Suffolk police to help locate missing people across the county with Diesel playing a key part in operations.
The group helps search for vulnerable missing adults and children in Suffolk and surrounding counties, saving lives in the process and won a prestigious Queen award in 2022.
Jamie Ketteridge, Diesel's owner, said: "He has played a vital role for the past eight years and he will be missed by the police and the team because that is now a resource we haven't got for the time being.
"He will still be with me because he is my pet dog and will still come on call outs but will sit on the sideline from now on."
Diesel celebrated his retirement with a steak for dinner, Mr Ketteridge said.
It can take between two and three years of specialist training to teach a dog to be ready to go out on search and rescue missions.
"I have had him since he was a pup and started training him when he was 12 months old," Mr Ketteridge said.
"Diesel would sniff an item of clothing or pillowcase and follow the scent of the missing person.
"I will still do a little bit of training with him because you have got to keep his mind going otherwise they will just grow old.
"He will be used as a training aid and will be at the control van when teams come back from a search to greet them all."
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