A CANINE charity from East Hampshire has received the perfect end-of-year present from soldiers and shipbuilders.

A London regiment has raised more than £45,000 for Hounds for Heroes after holding a charity boxing match between the Army and police. The bout took place a few days before the Ramsdean charity collected a further £7,408 from a Hampshire shipbuilder.

The "dog fight" at Wellington Barracks was the culmination of a lengthy campaign by the 71st (City of London) Yeomanry Signal Regiment.

The charity founded by Allen Parton specialises in training assistance dogs for wounded soldiers and members of the emergency services.

For full story, see this week's Liphook Herald.