CUSTOMERS at an award winning garden centre are being invited to become "top dog" and win a competition to name a new guide dog puppy.

The centre at Wychbold, near Droitwich, raised more than £5,000 for Guide Dogs in the last 12 months giving customers the opportunity to name the puppy and sponsor it for the first year of its life.

This is the second time Webbs customers will name a Guide Dog puppy. More than 500 people entered a similar competition two years ago with "Webster" being picked as the winning name.

Webbs chairman Ed Webb said: “It’s fantastic our efforts and the generosity of our staff and customers will significantly improve the quality of life of a blind or partially sighted person for a second time and we can now become part of their life-changing story. Our customers will be able to meet him or her at Webbs and we will follow its progress with regular ‘pupdates'. Webster has been to visit us several times and we follow his progress with pride. We are all looking forward to welcoming the new puppy as soon as it’s old enough to be out and about.”

Ali Waterer of Guide Dogs, added: "Naming a puppy is a fantastic way for people and organisations to make a difference to the lives of people who are blind or partially sighted. Around 180,000 rarely leave home alone and without the help of fundraising schemes such as this we would not be able to help the number of people that we do. A total of 810 new guide dog partnerships were created last year and we have helped more people than ever before. It’s only through support such as this from Webbs that we’re able to maintain our lifelong commitment to blind and partially sighted people in the community as the guide dog service relies purely on voluntary income which is why we are so grateful for the efforts that companies such as Webb's put in to support us."

The puppy will be cared for by a volunteer puppy walker who will bring it for visits to the Wychbold store. The competition will run until Thursday, April 30. Entry forms can be collected in store or downloaded online from www.webbs.co.uk and returned to the Webbs stores at Wychbold and West Hagley. Entries can also be made via the Webbs Facebook page. The winner and their family will be given a free guided tour of the Guide Dogs national breeding centre in Leamington Spa plus £50 worth of Webbs vouchers.