SQUELCHING through mud and swishing down a water slide - tied to a dog - created squeals of laughter at a six legged fundraising event for St Luke's Hospice.

More than 200 dogs on their leads joined owners to tackle the charity's first Woof Mudder obstacle course on Sunday and raised almost £15,000.

Crowds turned up at Blakemere Village in Sandiway to watch the comic capers as pets and their owners ended up drenched and caked in mud.

Jacqui Campuzano, whose boxer dog Nala was chosen as the face of Woof Mudder 2019, said: "It was a great day, the course was brilliant.

"All the dogs had a whale of a time and there were big smiles on the faces of their owners."

The five-year-old Boxer cross won a public vote after owners were invited to send in pictures of their pets to promote the 5k obstacle course.

Rescue dog Nala conquered cancer herself after a lump was found on her shoulder last October and is also recovering after partially rupturing a cruciate ligament in her knee.

"I'm really proud of Nala," said Jacqui, 35, a registered veterinary nurse. "We were jumping over hay bales and crawling through mud baths. Nala was rolling over in the middle of it!

"She was straight up and on every obstacle.

"Nala ran down the water slide and pulled me half way across the field on my backside! It was quite entertaining!"

Her two-year-old son Dylan and fiance joined hundreds of families to support the event.

"Nala loved every second," said Jacqui, who completed another 5k muddy dogs challenge with Nala a week earlier for Battersea Dogs Home."She has done absolutely grand. I think she deserves a rest now."

Mark Gammage, events fundraiser for St Luke's said: “From the tiniest of sausage dogs to Great Danes, they all completed the course with leaps and bounds and in many cases dragging their owners around the course through wooded areas and muddy bogs!

“The reaction was fantastic. We had so many people coming up to us at the end thanking us and asking us for the date for the next one, which is already in the planning.

“Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service with their cadets and Willis Bros provided several tankers and fire engines worth of water to ensure a muddy course.

"Owners even got a full hose down by the fire brigade at the end which doesn’t happen every day! Dogs were treated to a much gentler sponge in the doggy bath and in some cases a fluffy towel dry.

“Our fabulous dogs and humans between them collected sponsorship and their efforts are currently showing they have fundraised almost £15,000 to support patient care at the hospice, which is fantastic.”

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All the humans taking part received special Woof Mudder T-shirts and medals and the dogs earned a prized Woof Mudder doggie bandana.

The course obstacles were kindly created by Buildbase Nantwich, Combined Tyres in Winsford, Cavanagh Timber in Winsford, ROI Crewe, Men in Sheds charity in Winsford and Willis Bros in Sandbach as their donation to the event.