A FAMILY from Seaton have taken home the top prize in one of the world's most prestigious dog shows, saying the win was ‘pretty special’ for the whole family.

Faith, an Old English Sheepdog owned by husband and wife Julie and Roy Bell alongside daughter Sarah, came second place overall in the Old English Sheepdog Open Bitch category of the competition, as well as receiving the Reserve Bitch Challenge Certificate in the overall Old English Sheepdog category.

Speaking about the win, Julie said: “We have had Old English Sheepdogs for 45 years, so we have showed them, bred them and have been to Crufts before.

"But we have never won as high as this before, we have had small wins but never had a top win like this in that length of time.

Times and Star: Sarah showing Faith alongside other competitors.Sarah showing Faith alongside other competitors. (Image: Supplied)

“It’s really good, as you will know it’s one of the top shows. Everybody wants to be there, everybody wants to win, there is a lot of competition come from abroad as well.

“She was the only girl dog in the Old English Sheep dogs that won this honour from this country. The dogs that she was up against were all from the continent. She is nearly four-years-old and really at the top of her game.

"She is a champion in the Old English Sheep dogs."

Times and Star: Faith the old English sheepdogFaith the old English sheepdog (Image: Supplied)

Julie said: “All the winners go back in, and you get the outright winner in the dogs and the bitches, so to get as high as she did was pretty good considering a lot of her competition was from the continent.”

With regards to what it takes to create a Crufts winner, Julie said: “First and foremost, she is a pet. She is within the family, she is a real character and loves her food.

Times and Star: Sarah with Faith who is now a champion at only four years old Sarah with Faith who is now a champion at only four years old (Image: Supplied)

“It’s a really long process... it doesn’t just happen. She has to be trained and the grooming of an Old English Sheep as you can imagine is a very long process.

"It has taken three weeks to get her in top condition to get her there.

“They must have a qualification win as well. Any of the breed have to qualify as well. You can’t just enter any dog for Crufts and that preparation has taken three weeks or more to exercise and groom... it’s been a long process."

Julie said it was a nice moment for her and her husband to see Sarah in the ring handling Faith.

She said: “It was quite special. My daughter has started showing her now and she has shown her and trained her, she took her into the ring.”