'They're 40mph couch potatoes': Meet the team rescuing greyhound dogs in Dumfriesshire and Cumbria

• Video report by Natasha Potts

Double celebrations are in order for a dog rescue centre in Dumfriesshire as it celebrates its 20th anniversary as well as its expansion across the border into Cumbria.

Dumfriesshire and Cumbria Greyhound rescue was set up in Kirkgunzeon in 2002 by husband and wife partnership Graham and Margaret Hill.

Unlike other animal charities, which have said the number of dogs being adopted has decreased due to the cost of living, the Dumfriesshire and Cumbria Greyhound rescue has bucked the trend and recently surpassed rehoming over 1,860 dogs.

Thousands of Greyhounds are discarded from racing every year because they're either considered too slow or have become too old to compete.

Mr Hill puts the centre's success rates down to getting the dogs out and about meeting people.

He said: "We may be a little different to other charities as we go out to the public to show off our dogs.

"We're going to a supermarket open day next week and a vets open day the week after.

"When we go there we take our dogs and show them off and that generates loads of enquiries."

Despite being famous for their speed, greyhounds are more sluggish than people realise with Mr Hill calling them "40mph couch potatoes," as they're asleep more than they're running around.

The centre's incoming dogs coordinator, Vivienne Little, said her favourite thing about the role is "watching them blossom".

She told ITV Tyne Tees what she loves most about her role.

She said: "From the life that they had into these lovely lazy fun loving people with lovely personalities - it's just seeing them run around and have freedom, running for fun and not for profit."

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