Manic's mum's book is through eyes of her dog

But now she is turning the limelight on another family member, her dog Sam.

The 71-year-old has written her first book and it is seen through Sam's eyes.

Mrs Jones was at the forefront of a campaign to save St David’s Wood from the axe when the Blackwood bypass was built, and her book tells the story of Sam’s life and his part in the protests.

Sam was found abandoned in Newport’s Beechwood Park in 1998 and after reading about him in the Argus Mrs Jones took him into her home.

The book begins in the park, with the cross-breed labrador greyhound telling the reader he has no memories of his life before because he had been badly beaten.

He was 18 months old at the time and when he died in 2004 Mrs Jones was inspired to write her first book.

She used her diary to refer to events that happened during his life and much of the story focuses on the St David’s Wood protests.

Mrs Jones was part of a group who spent almost a decade fighting to save the woods, which were bulldozed in 2004 to make way for a £54 million bypass.

Protestors camped out and climbed trees, which caused havoc for the workmen.

In the book Mrs Jones writes about an occasion when she was out walking Sam and they stood in front of a bulldozer and refused to move.

Sam was wet, cold and terrified and she brings out all the emotions he was feeling and the passion of the campaign.

She now has a cross-breed labrador dalmation called Megan, but said Sam still has a special place in her heart.

She said: "Sam was a beautiful, wonderful dog. He became quite a celebrity during the protests because his picture was in lots of newspapers as part of the group."

Mrs Jones' son, Patrick, put her in touch with Gwynedd-based Seaglass Books who published her book because he had previously published a poetry book with them.

Sam’s Journey, which costs £5.99, will be launched at Blackwood Library on May 13 at 2.30pm and Mrs Jones will be signing copies.