COCKAPOOS dressed in their best Christmas jumpers descended on Lydiard Park.

It was the first festive walk organised by a Swindon group, set up to bring owners of the dog breed together for a monthly walkies.

Around 80 dogs competed for the best dressed title, with the winner awarded a rope chew toy.

Georgina Clarke, 26, initially set up the cockapoo group on social media to arrange regular dog walks for friends who owned the breed.

“It grew and grew,” she said. There are now almost 350 members on Facebook. Everyone seems to love it. All the families love it, but I’m surprised by how many people have turned out today.”

“Cockapoos are just like teddy bears. They’re bouncy and fun. How can you not love them?”

Joining Sunday’s walk was six-year-old Treacle, out on her first group walk for months after slipping a disc in her spine in the autumn. Owner Chris Bennett, 38, from Haydon Wick, said: “On September 1 we woke up in the morning and she couldn’t walk. We had no idea what had happened. We had gone out the night before and everything was normal. This is her first proper walk out since then.”

There are no official figures for the number of cockapoos in the UK. However, it is expected to run into the hundreds-of-thousands.Laura Howell, 50, of Shrivenham, said: “They are such a good natured breed, they’re friendly, they don’t shed their fur and they look so gorgeous.” She had brought along seven-year-old Dexter to the walk: “I wanted to see all these other cockapoos. It’s a good walk and a chance for the dogs to get out.”

Amy Greening, 24, from Stratton, bought eight-month-old puppy Lola, after seeing her mum’s dog Ruby. “They’re such nice-natured animals,” she said.

Mum Esther Newman, 43, from Stratton St Margaret, bought Ruby having spent years with collies: “I wanted a dog that was agile, because I do a lot of running. I wanted a dog that would be able to run with me and keep up.” Four-year-old Ruby completed the Reindeer Run earlier this month for Brighter Futures and is no stranger to joining Esther on 16 mile jogs around Swindon.

For more, search for the Cockapoos of Swindon group on Facebook.