Wednesday, 22 August 2007, 11:03 GMT 12:03 UK 

A police dog has been hailed a hero for helping save a missing woman's life in South Tyneside. 
Jake, a German Shepherd, found the 39-year-old collapsed unconscious in bushes just an hour after she was reported missing from her home. 

Handler Pc Alistair Cairnie-Coates said the dog's efforts helped prevent a "terrible" situation from developing. 
The woman, who is now recovering, was found close to Harton Cemetery, in South Shields, on Sunday night. 

'Deeply hidden' 

Pc Cairnie-Coates, of Northumbria Police, said: "The fact the woman was found so quickly undoubtedly saved her life, as she was so deeply hidden you could barely tell she was there. "And Jake knew he'd done well because he sensed the sheer feeling of relief that we all had when this woman was eventually located. If she had been found much later there could have been terrible consequences." 
Jake was just seven-weeks-old when he was found tied to a lamppost after being abused by youths with fireworks. 
The now three-year-old was taken in by a dog rescue centre before qualifying for Northumbria Police just before his first birthday. 

A FORMER rescue dog who began life tormented by thugs has been hailed a hero after finding a vulnerable woman who had gone missing and who was close to death.
Officials found Jake, a German Shepherd, tied to a lamppost when he was just seven weeks old.
The petrified pup had been teased by youngsters who had been playing with fireworks, an experience from which many dogs would struggle to recover.
But brave Jake, now three, bounced back after some tender loving care from Northumbria Police, and qualified as a police dog just before his first birthday.
And the fully fledged “officer” really earned his stripes on Sunday when he located a suicidal woman just an hour after she went missing from her home in South Shields, South Tyneside.
A Northumbria Police spokeswoman said that the 39-year-old woman, who has not been named, was reported missing at about 10pm on Sunday, August 19.
She said: “A search was launched, and Jake found the vulnerable woman unconscious in deep shrubbery near Harton Cemetery, less than an hour after the police were first called.
“The woman was transported to hospital where she is said to be recovering well.”
Jake’s proud handler PC Adrian Cairnie-Coates said: “The fact the woman was found so quickly undoubtedly saved her life, as she was so deeply hidden you could barely tell she was there.
“And Jake knew he’d done well because he sensed the sheer feeling of relief that we all had when this woman was eventually located.
“If she had been found much later there could have been terrible consequences.”
PC Cairnie-Coates said that Jake’s good work had made his job as a dog handler seem all the more worthwhile.
He explained: “It’s a great achievement for Jake, especially after everything he went through as a puppy, because even if only one life is saved during a dog’s career, which might only last until he is seven, it’s a career well-spent.
“You mature a dog and bring it on from when it is first trained as a police animal and to finally have an end result like this makes you feel extremely proud.”
Neighbourhood officer Peter Sutton has also praised Jake’s work, and said that the rescue has provided further evidence of the efficiency and effectiveness of police dogs across the force area.
He said: “It’s quite clear from other officers who were present during the search that without Jake, the outcome would probably have been very different.”

An abandoned puppy that became a police dog has been heralded a hero by Northumbria police.
Rescue Ctr Officers found Jake at seven weeks old, after he had been tied to a lamppost and taunted by children with fireworks.
With some loving care, the petrified puppy bounced back and proved to be a bright spark, rocketing to the rank of police dog before his first birthday.
Three years on, the German Shepherd has been credited with saving the life of a missing woman.
Thanks to Jake's detective work, officers were able to locate a vulnerable 39-year-old woman on Sunday, an hour after she was reported missing from her South Shields home in South Tyneside.
Jake discovered her unconscious in deep shrubbery near Harton Cemetery and emergency services took the woman to hospital where she is recovering.
Jake's proud handler, PC Alistair Cairnie-Coates, said without their super sleuth the consequences could have been terrible. 
"The fact the woman was found so quickly undoubtedly saved her life, as she was so deeply hidden you could barely tell she was there," he said.
"And Jake knew he'd done well because he sensed the sheer feeling of relief that we all had when this woman was eventually located".
Inspector Peter Sutton was also quick to credit the force's newest star.

Life looked grim for a German Shepherd puppy found tied to a lampost and tormented by youths with fireworks.
But young Jake has come through his traumatic early life and has emerged as a fully-fledged police dog with Northumbria.
Jake was just seven weeks old when he was rescued after being found tied up in the street. He was taken in by the German Shepherd Rescue Centre and, after two false starts in homes that did not prove suitable, was taken on as a recruit by Northumbria's Dog Section.
He proved more than up to the job, completing his basic training and becoming a full licensed police dog as he celebrated his first birthday.
And he was happy to show just how well he was doing when he put on a crowd-pleasing display at the recent Northumbria Police Open Day at Gateshead Area Command enjoyed by up to 20,000 people last month. 
PC Gil Crossley, an instructor in the Dog Section who has trained Jake since his arrival, said: " Jake has all the makings of an excellent police dog.
 Initially and probably not surprisingly, bearing in mind how he was found, he was both very nervous and aggressive around people.
 Now he's a totally changed dog, a lot more confident and happier around people. 
 He's good at all police tasks - criminal work, chase and attacks, gun attack, stick attack and stand-off, where the dog stops the criminal and simply barks.
 For such a young dog he does everything to quite a good standard and has already worked at three football matches." 
Jake's training will continue as he remains part of the Dog Section team at police headquarters.