Sarah HallA touch of Crufts came to a care home for elderly people when clever canines performed in an agility show - to the delight of pensioners.Sarah Hall

A touch of Crufts came to a care home for elderly people when clever canines performed in an agility show - to the delight of pensioners.

Oakwood House Nursing Home in Colney regularly enjoys visits from the Pets As Therapy (PAT) dog Polly, and last Tuesday she was joined by three more pooches which were put through their paces in the display.

While 25 pensioners watched eagerly on, the agile animals leapt through hoops and weaved their way through flags to show off their skills in the garden of the Bupa run care home, which is off Old Watton Road.

Pet therapy is widely accepted as a powerful aid to stimulation and communication and the pensioners at Oakwood House thoroughly enjoy the visits.

Edwina Wingham, activities co-ordinator at the home said: 'The residents absolutely loved it. When we said it was going to be an agility show they were all talking about having seen that sort of thing at Crufts on the television.

'After they did all their tricks and running around the dogs came over to the residents and they got to stroke them and make a fuss of them.

'It's incredible how much benefit they get from having the dogs here. They really do enjoy it, as most of them had pets when they were younger.

'People will talk to dogs when they might not always talk to other people, so it can bring them out of their shell and it was a lovely way to get people out into the garden here.'