SHOPPERS at Castle Place in Trowbridge have helped to sponsor the training of a guide dog puppy.

Black Labrador, Castle, will visit the shopping centre during Guide Dog Week from September 29 to October 6 to meet shoppers.

Centre manager Julie Davis said: “We’re thrilled that Castle Place shoppers have raised enough money to fund our very own guide dog puppy.

“We hope they’ll come along during the week to meet these wonderful animals and the fantastic humans who work with them!”

Now just five and a half months old, Castle still has a long journey to travel before becoming a fully-fledged guide dog.

Guide dog handlers, trainers and puppy walkers come into the centre as part of an annual event, so the local community can meet them in training and find out more about the amazing service they provide.

Castle is being slowly introduced to a range of different visual, auditory and tactile stimuli and interacting with a variety of different people.

To desensitise him to everyday sounds, he is exposed to noises such as washing machines, phones, TV’s and door bells.

His trip to Castle Place Shopping Centre will not only be a treat for the shoppers but will also aid his training along the way.

There will also be a tombola raffle on the day to raise funds.