| An English springer spaniel with a talent for sniffing out guns, ammunition and explosives in Iraq has survived a suspected contract killing, a British newspaper reported. Blaze, who is serving with British forces in southern Iraq, escaped with only cuts and bruises after the would-be killer roared up in a car, "deliberately swerved" and hit him, The Sun said, quoting military sources. "There is no doubt that this was a deliberate assassination attempt," a senior army officer was quoted as saying. "We are convinced that there was a price on Blaze’s head." The incident took place on a road in Al-Zubayr, south-west of Basra city, the headquarters for 8800 British troops who occupy oil-rich southern Iraq, the newspaper said. Blaze is among several sniffer dogs brought to Iraq by the British army to help find weapons and explosives. Each costs £25,000 ($A61,600) to train. His handler, Lance Corporal Steve Dineley, 24, said: "I was gutted when he got run over and so were all the guys. We were very angry but he has made a great recovery." |