TWO police dogs with years of service between them have retired from Gloucestershire Constabulary.

Chief constable Suzette Davenport and police and crime commissioner Martin Surl joined project manager Jo Compton to meet the handlers and present the dogs with special canine cupcakes to mark the occasion.

German shepherd Max and his handler PC Janson Wong made the news in 2015 following their work tracking down four suspected criminals and saving a woman’s life.

Max later received a commendation for bravery and devotion from the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA).

Fellow German Shepherd Stig, who was a gift from German Shepherd Rescue, started working for the police in January 2010 as a nine-month-old puppy.

He had lived in five homes prior to that point but quickly became an indispensable asset for the force.

Stig's Handler PC Ben Hall said: "We've been on duty at various football matches across the South West and carried out work as mutual aid to other forces.

“He's tracked burglars and thieves, been involved in a few pursuits and bitten a fair number of offenders in his time.

"Stig's enjoying a more sedate lifestyle now but he's still the best burglar alarm on the market.”