A former police dog taken out of service for being too aggressive has been found a new home, a force said today.

There were fears that Saxon, a five-year-old German Shepherd, could be put down when his owners, Gwent Police, withdrew his licence, saying he was unsafe to work with.

Now it has been revealed that Saxon has started a new role with a security firm in the West of England today.

Gwent Police said Saxon's posting fulfills the criteria set out by an independent assessor who was called in to help decide the dog's future.

Superintendent Nigel Russell said: "We are pleased that Saxon has been re-homed to continue working and are confident that his new management will satisfy all the requirements of the assessment."

A four-week independent assessment was eventually carried out, concluding that Saxon could continue life as a working dog.

Gwent Police said that the report stated that Saxon could not be kept as a pet, but that he could carry on working under the guidance of an experience handler.