by Angela Cole

acole@thekmgroup.co.uk

A soldier fighting in Afghanistan is hoping to bring home a puppy he has been rearing since its mother died.

L Cpl Peter Dunn, from Maidstone, who is currently serving with the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment, has become so attached to five-month-old Pegasus that he wants to bring him with him when he returns to the UK on April 21.

Pegasus' mother died after giving birth to a litter of eight pups and L Cpl Dunn believes Pegasus faces an uncertain future if left behind.

He has set up a Just Giving page and raised almost £700 in a few days to bring Pegasus back.

He said: “During my first few days here the camp dog gave a birth to a litter of eight puppies. Not long afterwards she died, so my troop and I took over the responsibility and looked after the pups.

“It is my intention to bring Pegasus back to the UK and keep him. I have less than a month left to get him back. He has been through some of the worst times with my troop and helped to lift morale.”

L Cpl Dunn has been in touch with a charity, Nowzad, named after a town in Helmand Province, which specialises in getting dogs and cats back from Afghanistan and to good homes.

On the Just Giving page, Pegasus says: “I’m a very nice puppy; I love to play ball with my soldier and have him tickle my tummy too. The Nowzad charity will help bring me back if we raise enough money. I don’t want to stay here and be left to die, it will break our hearts to be separated, I’ve had my soldier since I was born.”

To support LCpl Dunn and Pegasus, visit www.justgiving.com, and search for Help Save Pegasus.

The 2nd Tank Regiment, which recruits from the South East, will be staging a homecoming parade in Maidstone on Thursday, September 1.