'Max the Miracle Dog' immortalised in bronze in Keswick

A therapy dog who was given the animal equivalent of an OBE has been immortalised in bronze.

'Max the Miracle Dog' gained worldwide fame when videos of his daily walks in the Lake District with his owner were posted online.

People from as far afield as Australia tuned in by the hundreds of thousands during the dark days of lockdown.

A statue of the springer Spaniel has now been set up on a bench in his home town of Keswick.

Owner Kerry Irving had Max trained as a therapy dog in 2016 and during the pandemic he became a virtual therapy dog.

Live broadcasts of his daily walks were credited with helping people cope with depression and isolation.

In February Max was presented with the PDSA Order of Merit, also known as the animal OBE, for his "outstanding contribution to society".

The statue, designed by local sculptor Kirsty Armstrong, was paid for by a crowdfunding campaign, which raised £26,000 in a single day.

Mr Irving described Hope Park as the "perfect location" because Max had "brought hope to so many people".

He said: "It was amazing to see the joy on people's faces when the statue was unveiled.

"It's incredible that our little boy, proudly wearing his PDSA Order of Merit, will now be sat there and remembered for generations to come."

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