A CHARITY which trains dogs to help injured servicemen and women has praised the crews who fly them home during a visit to RAF Brize Norton.

Hounds for Heroes, launched earlier this year, is looking to raise £100,000 to supply injured soldiers with a trained dog to make life easier.

They met personnel from 99 Squadron, who bring home injured British troops.

With them were assistance dogs EJ and Ikea, who explored aircraft including the C17 Globemaster and Tri-Star.

Founder Allen Parton, seriously injured during the first Gulf War, said: “To see such a dedicated and proud team of servicemen and women making all this happen and so efficiently was so inspiring.

Mr Parton said: “We owe it to these young men and women that, should the day come that they too are injured or disabled, we are there to assist them in long term rehabilitation.”

Trained dogs can perform tasks for disabled troops and act as guide dogs.