A very special COMPANION

Heidi Robinson had become a virtual recluse, until a four-legged helper came along

- RUTH ADDICOTT

Pick up!' said Heidi, pointing at the pile of clothes in the washing basket. Tail wagging, Rolo picked up a pair of trousers and waited for the next command. 'Load!' Heidi said, as Rolo placed the trousers into the washing machine. 'Good boy!' she said, ruffling his ears and rewarding him with a treat. As Rolo padded off to find the car keys, Heidi thought how much easier life had become with her new four-legged helper. A year ago, things couldn't have been more different.

Fifteen years ago, Heidi, now 52, from Derbyshire, was a mum to three teenagers and in the peak of health. Married to Dave, now 55, she ran a busy hair salon, loved swimming, dancing and motorcycling, and rode her horses every day. Then one day, she put her foot in the stirrup and suffered a loss of balance. 'Normally, as soon as I put my foot in the stirrup, my horse would gallop straight off, but he just stood there planted, as if he sensed that something was wrong,' says Heidi. 'I thought it was strange, but I felt fine. Then, a few days later, I was walking the dog over the fields and I couldn't lift my leg over the stile.' After struggling to get home, Heidi's speech became slurred and she couldn't use her left side. Worried, her friend called an ambulance and she was taken to hospital.