A councillor has paid tribute to his trusty guide dog.

Black labrador Volley was regularly seen around Carlisle accompanying David Morton, a well-known city councillor.

The 10-year-old dog died on Friday after he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer.

They were paired up in May 2008 and for the last eight years Volley helped Mr Morton, of Lowry Hill, maintain a good level of independence.

Mr Morton, 69, now faces a wait to see when he will be paired up with a new guide dog.

The Belah councillor, who is also secretary of Carlisle Rugby Club, suffers from retinitis pigmentosa, a disease of the eye that leads to loss of vision and blindness.

Mr Morton said: “Having a guide dog gives you the freedom to do things you couldn’t do before.

“You can get about in safety and comfort knowing that the dog is looking out for you and doing things on your behalf.

“In my case it meant I could walk quickly with him instead of everything taking two or three times as long to do.

“Now he isn’t there and apart from the fact that you feel like your left arm is missing I have to slow down my activities.”

Mr Morton says he has been given a white stick as an aid until a guide dog becomes available.

“It is not a case that one dog fits all,” Mr Morton explained.

“Guide Dogs match people’s requirements and needs with the character and ability of the dogs they have trained.

“I can’t thank the Guide Dogs charity enough. They’ve been wonderful, supporting us so much over the years and their services have been tip top.”

He added: “The current figure for maintenance costs to look after a guide dog from cradle to the grave is around £55,000 per dog.

“There are just short of 5,000 working dogs at the moment and it is all done through generous donations.

“A guide dog is not just a working dog, it is part of the family and when they are not working they are your family pet, like Volley was.”

Volley was affectionately known as the 53rd councillor at the Civic Centre.

Members of the Conservative group at the authority have launched a collection for Guide Dogs to which staff and councillors have been invited to contribute to.

Mr Morton said: “No-one ever knew Volley was at a council meeting. They’d see him but he was so quiet. He’d lie down and go to sleep across my feet, or often across someone else’s.

“This is an end of an era for me and it’s gut-wrenching.”

Volley and Mr Morton raised awareness of sight and guide dog issues locally.

Together they visited children’s nurseries and encouraged others to explore the challenges faced by those who are blind or suffer sight loss.

Mr Morton also thanks staff at Eden Veterinary Practice, Kingstown, and the Wear Referrals in County Durham for their care of Volley.