A PUPPY who was going to be flown over to the UK from Romania to serve as a former veterans PTSD care dog has sadly died.

Invictus participant Paul Guest travelled to Bucharest to promote a marathon for the animal charity Paws2Rescue earlier this month.

During his visit the 54-year-old visited animal centres where he witnessed dogs being abused and hurt but found hope in the form of a three-month-old puppy he named Little Vic.

He also rescued four other dogs and took them for medical attention.

Paul was planning to bring Little Vic over to the UK and have him trained up as a caring dog to help with his PTSD.

Paul toured Northern Ireland and the Gulf as a mine warfare specialist and he was severely injured suffering trauma to his neck and spine in 1987.

Little Vic would have been a support system for Paul who struggles with getting out of the house by himself and the pup would be able to help calm him down.

However, Paul, of Walton Road, Kirby-le-Soken, was delivered the devastating news last week that Little Vic didn't pull through after living in the squalid conditions in Romania.

"He was taken to the vets after we rescued him from the centre," he said.

"But he had three prominent diseases that meant he passed away not long after.

"All the vets were fighting to keep him alive and it was very touch and go.

"We got the sad news that he didn't make it when I got a phone call from Paws2Rescue last week.

"It's devastating really I really got my hopes up I wanted him to come home and support me.

"It's knocked me back quite a bit because it's not just like replacing a rescue dog Little Vic was going to come over and do a good thing."

Despite Paul's heartbreak over Little Vic he's determined to stay positive as he has plans in the pipeline of bringing over two other pups Anna and Bella.

One would be trained up to serve as Pauls PTSD care dog and the other would be sent to a loving home.

"It's going to take about three of four months before we can get them over and it's quite a way off as they have to be six months before they can travel.

"I haven't lost hope, it's made me want to fight more."

Paul is still fundraising for Paws2Rescue which provides shelter and vet treatment for dogs across Romania.

To donate to Paul's fund or to find out more visit Facebook.com and search Paul’s fundraiser for Paws2Rescue.