A DOG rescued hours before it faced a terrible fate is set for a career on the silver screen after learning to fly a plane for a TV show.

Shadow, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier-Collie cross, was given special training after beating off the competition on Sky 1 show Dogs Might Fly.

The homeless hound was rescued by AA Dog Rescue, based in Latchingdon, just 22 hours before he faced being put down.

Just 12 dogs were chosen to appear in the show with filming taking place throughout the spring and summer.

Shadow underwent rigorous flight training before performing a figure of eight move, which was shown earlier this month.

Animal expert Charlotte Wilde helped train the dogs and sat with Shadow in the plane during his flight.

After the show she went on to adopt him.

She said: “We set out to show that dogs have extraordinary abilities and flight was the ultimate test.

“Each year 5,000 dogs just like Shadow are put down, but through this show we wanted to demonstrate just what remarkable and intelligent animals they are.” Shadow has already been put forward to star in adverts and other TV shows.

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Charley Nathan, owner of AA Dog Rescue said: “We were not surprised Shadow won. All through training he was just getting better and better.

“He is incredibly clever that is why he was getting frustrated at the rescue.

“I was very proud.”

Ms Nathan, who went along to watch Shadow fly the plane, said before arriving at the airfield they did not know who had won.

“I had only just come out of hospital but there was no way I was missing it,” she said.

“He was hours from being put down now his life has changed.

“People said you wouldn’t teach a dog to fly in a million years. It was a very proud moment.

“The biggest thing is he has found a forever home. That make it all worth it and he has now got a film career ahead of him.”

All 12 dogs which took part in the show have now been rehomed.