A BRONZE statue is being created of a heroic Burnley dog that stayed with his dead master for 11 weeks after his death in the Welsh hills.

The Friends of the Settle to Carlisle Line are behind the bid to immortalise border collie Ruswarp at Garsdale railway line in Cumbria.

They believe that the life-sized statue would be a fitting tribute to Ruswarp and his owner, Graham Nuttall, who fought to save the Settle to Carlisle line and already has a bench dedicated to him at the station.

Ruswarp hit the headlines in 1990 after he was found in the Welsh hills by the side of Mr Nuttall, who had gone missing 11 weeks earlier.

Mr Nuttall, from Daneshouse, Burnley, was the first Secretary of the Friends of the Settle to Carlisle Line and instrumental in saving the line in 1989 by organising a petition to keep it open.

Ruswarp backed the fight by marking the petition with his paw-print, which was the only canine signature of objection to the line's closure.

Shortly after learning the line was saved, Mr Nuttall went walking in the Welsh hills but failed to return home. A major search was launched, only for his body to be found 11 weeks later.

Ruswarp, who was 14, was given an award for exceptional intelligence and courage in 1990 but died only weeks later.

Mark Rand, chairman of Friends of the Settle to Carlisle Line said: "The idea of a statue first came to our attention from a man from Skipton who suggested that we do something to celebrate the recent restoration of Garsdale station.

"The station was Graham's favourite and there is a bench on the platform dedicated to him there so it seems fitting to have the two together again.

"The statue is also symbolic of the fight to save the railway line and the devotion Graham showed to saving the line."

The group have set up the Ruswarp memorial fund' to raise the £8,000 needed for the statue and are hoping to have the statue on the southbound platform of the station by the end of the year.

They are also appealing for anyone with pictures of Ruswarp to contact them to help create a life-like sculpture of the dog.

To donate money to the fund or to send a photograph of Ruswarp write to Josie Perriman, at Foresters Cottage, 2 Howson's Yard, Settle BD24 2EG or contribute online by going to the Friends' web shop at www.settle-carlisle.com/webshop.