Birds bakery of Derby has raised £5k to sponsor Daisy, a six-week-old puppy, through her guide dog training. 

The money was raised through fund-raising activities such as selling chocolate paw-shaped lollies at Birds branches across the East Midlands.

The firm has been given a photograph of yellow Labrador Daisy (above) from the charity Guide Dog Training School, who will also provide regular training updates.

Daisy was the first puppy that Birds named and sponsored, but the bakery has since gone on to raise a further £5k to sponsor a second, which is yet to be born, but will be called Barley.

Lesley Bird of Birds Bakery said: "It was surprisingly easy to raise £10k to name two puppies. Everyone got behind it and came up with loads of imaginative ideas, such as making and selling chocolate paw lollies.

"Our strapline is ’fresh as a Daisy’ so it seemed really fitting to name the puppy Daisy. We chose the name Barley after the key ingredient in our most popular oat and barley loaf.”

Sarah Knox, from the Guide Dogs for the Blind charity, said: "I hope the staff and customers of Birds Bakery know just how much they have done to bring independence to not only one, but two blind or partially sighted people. Daisy and Barley will truly change lives.”