IT may sound barking mad, but Alan Ridehalgh has kept the same Jack Russell dog for almost a quarter of a century!

And the devoted owner today revealed the secret of his beloved Cindy's long life -- four cups of tea a day.

Cindy is 168 in human terms. She's only five years younger than the world's oldest dog, which lived in Australia.

The doggie pensioner has rarely left her owner's side -- and has been with him through work, retirement and even his divorce 16 years ago.

Retired taxi driver Alan, 64, of Union Road, Oswaldtwistle, bought Cindy from Crawshawbooth for £3 when she was a pup in 1978, but says she is now priceless.

He takes her everywhere, even on holiday to Blackpool, and only leaves her at home when he works as a volunteer taking people to hospital.

Alan said: "She loves to sit on the front seat and if I have anybody else in the car and they have her spot she moans and groans until they get out.

"When she comes to Blackpool she loves to go in the sea but if I mention the word bath she scuttles off under the table.

"She's wonderful, it would break my heart if anything happened to her.

"I'm been on my own now after my wife divorced me so Cindy is my family.

"She eats what I eat at meal times but she particularly likes potatoes and chicken.

"She's a really placid dog and doesn't mind cats, I used to have an 18-year-old cat called Tigger and they never had a cross word -- they grew up together."

The average Jack Russell life span is between 12 and 15 years.

Cindy is believed to be the UK's oldest dog. She laps up an average of four cups of tea a day and is said to prefer Tetleys.

Alan said: "She's still active and walks three to four miles twice a day. I let her off the lead and she follows the same path every time, there's some ducks that she likes to visit.

"I've had no trouble with her, before she had a growth removed in June this year I've only had to take her to the vets to have her nails clipped and for an ear infection.

"She cost me £3 to buy her and £1 for her injections I suppose you could say I've had my money's worth."

A spokeswoman for Cindy's vets, Mearley Veterinary Group, said she was the oldest animal they knew of.

She said: "She's such a lovely dog, Mr Ridehalgh came in with her a bit ago and she was no trouble."