A DOG abandoned by its owners has turned into a top crime fighter.

Bandit was rejected as unsuitable for family life due to some "personality issues".

But he was taken under the wing of Avon and Somerset Police trainer PC Lee Fairman and dog section Chief Inspector Sgt Dennis McCoy.

Bandit and PC Fairman have now won an outstanding achievement award for their work in the field of drugs and cash detection at this week's National Service Dog Bravery and Achievement Awards.

A force spokesperson said: "Police Dog Bandit came to us as an abandoned dog who had been rejected by previous owners because of a number of personality issues that made him unsuitable as a family pet.

"But, with the expert training from PC Fairman and Chief Instructor Sgt Dennis McCoy, PD Bandit became a specialist police search dog and an invaluable member of our police family.

"In the short time Bandit has been with us, he has consistently shown great success in search work, finding copious amounts of Class A and Class B drugs along with large amounts of cash obtained due to criminal activity."