First guide horse for the blind comes to Britain

• Video report by ITV News correspondent Ivor Bennett

Guide dogs have been de rigueur in the blind community for decades but now guide horses are coming to Britain.

Digby was taken for an outing on the Newcastle Metro on Thursday in order to get him used to underground train systems in order to help take his new owner around London's Tube.

The concept of guide horses has been around for a while but it is only just arriving in Britain.

Some people are allergic to guide dogs nor do they live as long, meaning an alternative is very welcome.

Digby's owner Helena Hird said:"You only have a guide dog for five to eight years then you retire them, so that's a lot of dogs for the rest of my life, hopefully.

"And Digby ... it could be the two of us watching Countdown for the rest of our lives together in our old age."