A CAMPAIGN to install statues of a Labrador and a Newfoundland dog in Poole is gathering support, with councillors, societies, and even TV presenter and writer Ben Fogle now getting behind it.

Dog lover Bill Lane is driving forward with his idea of installing the statues at Poole Quay to mark the town's historical links the breeds, which are believed to have been introduced to Europe through the port of Poole some 200 years ago.

The statues would also be emblematic of Poole’s links with the Canadian province of Newfoundland, forged through the cod trade from the 1500s and reflected in the street names of Newfoundland Drive and Labrador Drive close to Poole Quay.

But, despite a less than enthusiastic response from Borough of Poole so far, the idea has captured the imagination of borough councillors Andy Hadley and Mark Howell, and Lindsay Wilson, who will be Mayor of Poole next year.

The Wessex Newfoundland Society has also unanimously voted to support the plan.

It is even getting support from Ben Fogle, author of Labrador, a history of the breed which inspired Bill's campaign in the first place. He used his Twitter account to comment: "Go Bill Lane. I'll support your campaign to get a Labrador statue in Poole #labrador"

Bill said his research showed Poole ‘repeatedly’ referred to as the port where the dogs first came to Europe - but he has yet to convince Borough of Poole officers that the association is strong enough to justify the installation of the statues, which Bill is seeking finance through ‘crowdfunding.’

Bill told the Echo he was pleased to see things "starting to turn around" for the campaign, adding: "My focus now turns to getting the crowdfunding started."

Nick Perrins, planning policy and implementation officer, Borough of Poole, said: “Council officers from our museum service and planning team have worked with Mr Lane on this idea for some time. No formal application or decision has been made about this project."

According to historians Newfoundland dogs were once among the more unusual imports at Poole's bustling port which became known for one of the best places to acquire one of the dogs, which were much in demand by in demand, especially from wealthier families and sportsmen who used them to fetch wildfowl from the sea. Sea captains trading with Newfoundland, Canada, soon traded the dogs in what became a lucrative sideline.

Labradors were Canadian fishing dogs taken on to work on Portuguese cod trawlers off Newfoundland, and brought to Europe around 200 years ago when those trawlers docked at Poole on their way back to Portugal.

Some of the earliest pedigrees of Labrador dog were imported into Poole, to be used as gundogs, including by Colonel Hawker, a celebrated shooter, owned a schooner ship which sailed between Poole and Newfoundland.

In 1830 he of the breed: "in finding wounded game there is no equal in the canine race."