The Repair Shop fans sobbing over heartbreaking fix for 'hero' dog

The Repair Shop had viewers in floods of tears once again after owner and trainer Neil Powell requested that the team help to fix his heroic dog's jacket. Pepper, who was a search dog, was instrumental in the search and rescue for the 1988 Lockerbie disaster, and became ill due to contamination at the crash site.

Speaking about the experience, Neil explained: "The worst experience I had was the Lockerbie aircraft. In 1988 there was a Pan Am flight and it exploded and landed in Lockerbie. Left a huge crater there and the search and rescue dogs were brought in to search for survivors.

"Working in that crater was muddy and horrible and the smell of the aviation fuel was horrible. And it was just like that for four days. Pepper found a suitcase which turned out to be very significant. There were scorch marks on it, which turned out to be a bomb.

As a result of that, little Pepper and four and five other dogs all developed tumours in their nose and windpipes. We're not sure if it was the aviation fuel, but they died. It was heartbreaking… but that's why his little jacket is so important."

Leather worker Suzie Fletcher and textile conservator Rebecca Bissonnet helped to restore the pooch's jacket and collar, to help have the items displayed as an incentive to the new trainers helping to raise rescue dogs.

You may also like

• The Repair Shop's Will Kirk shares ultra-rare photo of wife Polly for this special reason

• The Repair Shop's Will Kirk melts hearts with adorable photos of rarely-seen daughter

• The Repair Shop's Steve Fletcher shares very rare glimpse of lush 'jungle' garden at Oxfordshire home

Taking to X to discuss, one person wrote: "The border collie rescue jacket will have me sobbing by the end as I've had a few Border collies who looked like brave Pepper." Another person added: "Pepper was a hero, No idea of the story about the search dogs."

The team pulled it out of the bag, restoring Pepper's jacket and collar and arranging it in a wooden framed display. Neil was visibly touched when he was shown the final product, telling them: "That's lovely. All refreshed and renewed, it's very well done. You're very talented people."

He told the camera: "I could see him, the little character came back to life again. It's all the memories tied up with the work he did, especially in Lockerbie. It keeps his memory alive, it's a very special, symbolic way of doing that."