Elvis has a lot o' living to do thanks to jacket

Elvis, who is owned by Ian and Briony Hamilton of East Preston, has a condition called peripheral neuropathy, which is caused by a genetic disorder.

This means that signals that are sent from his brain are not reaching their destination because the wires en route are 'short-circuiting', affecting his gait.

Elvis cannot jump in or out of cars or over a tree or other obstacles while out on a walk, and cannot walk in a straight line without swaying from side to side.

Running fast is also a problem because he is losing co-ordination as the condition progresses.

His main problem is that when he lies down on the floor to sleep, he is unable to get back up on to his feet without help.

Elvis ends up with his legs in the air, crying and howling if no-one is around to help him immediately.

And that was the point when saddler Geoffrey Dean came into the equation '“ and to the rescue.

As a master saddler, he is used to measuring up horses for harnesses and saddles.

For full story see West Sussex Gazette November 28