ALMOST 100 owners and their pooches took part in a charity dog show on Saturday.

The fifth annual event The John Thornton Young Achievers Foundation Companion Dog Show took place in the grounds of West Parley Memorial Hall on Christchurch Road, organised by Nicky and David Smith, Barbara Astle and Pam Rutley.

Families brought along their four-legged friends of all shapes and sizes for the fundraiser, which aimed to boost donations for the cause.

The charity was set up by Pete and Linda Thornton in honour of their son, John, a Royal Marine who died in Afghanistan aged 22 in 2008.

Nicky Smith, who helped to organise the dog show, said: "We had around 95 people in total. We enjoy doing it and Pete and Linda are such lovely people and we work as a team.

"The Air Cadets from Ferndown come and help and we like the fact that it's a local charity meaning that the money raised helps local children in Bournemouth, Ferndown and across Dorset."

She went on to say that because the event is a companion dog show, it had to be run strictly to the Kennel Club rules. She said that winners included Best in Show, which went to an Irish setter belonging to Jackie Rourke and the Handler of the South award went to Margaret McWilliams from Poole.

Asked why the event specifically benefits JTYAF, Nicky said: "Our son, Matthew, was a friend of John Thornton's. They were in the air cadets together, worked at JP Morgan together and then John went into the Royal Marines while our son, Matthew, went to work in America. The day after John's funeral, Matthew and some of his friends held a vigil for him.

"We just cannot imagine how Pete and Linda must have felt when they were told that their son had died."

Since its inception, The John Thornton Young Achievers Foundation (JTYAF) has made awards of nearly £400,000 to over 1,000 young people. The aim of the charity is to support young people to raise their aspirations and support them in the pursuit of their ambitions.

For more information, go to Jtyaf.org