Hertfordshire's fire investigation dog, CC, has been praised after checking a blaze site for arsonists for the 100th time.

CC, who wears special fire boots to protect his feet, and his handler, Nikki Harvey, have been working as a team in Hertfordshire and surrounding counties since July 2007.

CC, a two-and-a-half-year -old black Labrador, is trained to sniff out traces of ignitable liquids such as petrol, paraffin and lighter fluid, which can be detected even after the most severe fire.

His handler Nikki Harvey, said: “CC has had an extremely busy first year in his working life as a fire investigation dog and he is certainly proving a real asset to fire investigators, assisting them in determining the cause and origin of fires. Working with CC is extremely challenging and rewarding. We have bonded strongly as a team, which is really important.

"Ongoing training is now part of CC’s daily routine, as it is vitally important that he remains competent in his work so we are fully prepared to perform a search in any environment. When we attend a scene of a fire, I carry out a full risk assessment before CC starts work, as his safety is paramount. CC’s paws are protected from the environments that we work in with special boots. These prevent him from being injured from hazards such as glass and other debris. CC really does enjoy his work because to him, life is just one big game."

As well as being an integral part of the fire investigation team CC, who is sponsored by Hatfield -based firm Computacenter, and his handler work in Hertfordshire's Community Fire Safety Team.