LESTER the lurcher is pawing his way to stardom after being nominated for the canine equivalent of the Oscars.

The Worcester woofer has been shortlisted for the prestigious Friskies Golden Bonio Awards, after saving the life of a sick dog.

Four-year-old Lester was adopted by Worcester couple Alan and Jackie Hall earlier this year from the National Canine Defence League re-homing centre in Evesham.

A former racing dog, he was already a hero, having given blood to save a seriously-ill Doberman.

"Rupert the Doberman had been recovering from a spine operation when his owner noticed a lump on his neck," said an awards spokesman.

"The vet found that Rupert's blood was not clotting properly and that he urgently needed a transfusion. The only catch was Rupert's rare blood type.

"A thorough search of possible donors uncovered a perfect match with Lester's blood and the transfusion was able to go ahead."

The operation was a success and Lester became an instant hero.

When Mr and Mrs Hall heard the story they did not hesitate to nominate him for an award.

"Lester is a wonderful dog. He's fitted into the family perfectly and we can't imagine life without him," said Mrs Hall, of Cumberland Street, Barbourne.

"Lester remains on the blood register as he has a very rare blood group, so if in the future another dog's life was on the line we hope that he would be able to help save another life."

Now Lester is keeping his claws crossed as his nomination goes before a panel of dog-loving celebrities, including Anthea Turner, Gaby Roslin and Miranda Richardson.

If he is selected as one of the 10 finalists, he will attend a Dogs' Dinner at London's Kensington Roof Gardens on Thursday, May 17, and will be presented by Sue Barker with a cheque for £250 and a Friskies Golden Bonio Award.

If he is crowned Britain's Top Dog, he will collar £1,000.