A NUMBER of pet owners in the Melksham area will be taking their four-legged friends to Crufts in Birmingham.

The competition, at the Birmingham NEC until Sunday, will see some of the county’s best trained dogs go head to head to see which one will be crowned the best in show.

Chelsea Coles will be entering her working sheepdog Kelsey into this year’s Young Kennel Club Senior Jumping final competition, hoping to prove to the judges that Kelsey has what it takes to be the top dog.

Miss Coles, 23, of Dunch Lane, said: “Kelsey is five years old and this is the first time she will be entering the competition. I have taken a previous dog to Crufts before but this is very exciting. I found out in December that we would be going.

“Originally Kelsey wasn’t supposed to be my dog, she wasn’t my biggest fan, but I am looking forward to taking her to Crufts.”

Nearby in Whitley, Ann Cary will be taking her Labrador retriever Aquadell Montgomery to Crufts after qualifying in previous years.

“We have entered Crufts before and qualified, this means we are qualified for life. We have gone through various levels,” Mrs Cary said.

Five other entries from the area are also expected to compete in the show, with Mr Joseph Baker from Whitley taking his Retriever, and a soft coat Wheaten Terrier, a Shetland sheepdog, a Boston terrier and a Lhasa Apso also in line to compete with their owners.