Meet the dog easing children's fears over swimming

For most of his life, Joseph has been scared of dogs - but not Lexi.

The Golden Retriever has become an invaluable friend on visits to a local swimming pool, making Joseph's and his mum's life slightly easier.

Joseph, who has learning difficulties, attends swimming sessions at Fleming Fulton School in Belfast. One of the most difficult parts of that trip, which so many other children without special needs don't find challenging, is actually getting to the poolside from the car park. That's where Lexi comes in.

He guides children from the roadside, easing any nerves they might have, before entering the water. A vital part of the journey for so many.

"Our children who are neurodiverse are at a higher risk of wandering and drowning," said Sarah Jane Reynolds who is a swimming coach at Swimming Buddies.

"Our children are 160 times more likely to have a water-based incident and that was a statistic that I personally found very shocking," she added.

"Having Lexi here is another arm of support. I have to say, he brings an awful lot of positivity not just to the kids and adults but to the coaches as well."

Laura Wylie is Joseph's mum.

"Even with Joseph being in the water, he's not very confident and you've probably seen," she told UTV.

"I think Lexi will help him and the fact he's not scared of him will, I think be really helpful and beneficial to him."

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