A WEST-END star met some of Oxfordshire’s bravest children and four-legged heroes last week.

Jodie Prenger, winner of the BBC’s I’d Do Anything, visited the national training centre for Dogs for the Disabled in Banbury on Tuesday.

The charity gives children with disabilities their own helper and Miss Prenger heard first-hand about the difference this made.

Youngsters demonstrated some of the daily tasks their dogs helped with such as retrieving dropped items, helping them take their coat off and closing drawers.

Miss Prenger, from Blackpool, won the show to take the role of Nancy in Oliver! in 2008.

She said: “I was so excited to see these amazing dogs in action. I love dogs so much and so could instantly see how much difference they make to the lives of these children who face huge challenges everyday.”

Centre communications manager Sarah Watson said: “The children we work with face many struggles every day so it was great to see them taking such pride in what their dogs can do.

“We have trained nearly 50 assistance dogs for children with disabilities but there are still many more who could be helped and every bit of support we receive can help us train more dogs for the people who need it most.”