Former Royal Marine Kirt, who lives in Earby, served 15 years as a fire-fighter at Nelson.

For around eight years he has been involved with Canis, a voluntary dog search and rescue group which scans damaged or collapsing buildings for victims.

For six years, he has been working with Holly, a collie trained to search buildings. Holly is nine now, and may have to retire in 12 months or so. So he is now training his new recruit, Islay, who is six months old.

In August, 2006, Kirt left Nelson Fire Station to join the new Urban Search and Rescue team, at Leyland but covering the whole of Lancashire, Cumbria and Greater Manchester, and capable of being called anywhere in the country.

Set up as a result of terrorist threats, it also deals with major civil incidents like collapsed buildings, train crashes or major road collisions.

When Kirt joined USAR, run by Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, Holly was accepted as an unofficial team member and worked with him. But now, the Government has agreed to fund search-and-rescue dogs for USAR teams, which means Kirt, Holly, Islay and Canis are all now officially part of the operation.

Kirt said: "The Government has provided funding for search dogs to 20 brigades." The service will still call in back-up from Canis, and Kirt is usually joined by former Nelson fire-fighter, Nigel Boden, who is a watch manager at Rawtenstall Fire Station. His collie is Ben, Holly's brother.

Kirt (39) said: "It is likely to be 18 months to two years before Islay is ready to work."