THE life-saving work of rescue dogs will be on show this weekend at Cwmcarn Forest Drive.

The Search and Rescue Dog Association of South Wales will set up a reconstruction of how they sniff out people who've gone missing. Collies and Alsatians will be let off the leash to track their handlers, who will be hiding on the mountainside.

The event takes place on Sunday between 11am and 5pm, and is free. Chairman of SARDA Mark Gibbings said watching how these well-trained pups trace humans is well worth it.

"The search dog is the most vital piece of equipment you can have in a search and rescue situation - better than any helicopter or human," he said.

"One dog is worth about 60 humans and they can cover an area of land in a third of the time."

The dogs are put through their paces before they reach the required standard.

Mr Gibbings said: "They have to do about three years' training. And because the training is so intense we've only got 70 search and rescue dogs in the whole of the UK."

Mr Gibbings said Sunday would be an ideal trip out for all the family. "Anybody can venture out and watch how it's done," he said. "I think it's very interesting to see how quickly the dogs operate."

SARDA receive around 50 or 60 call-outs a year and the dogs are kept extremely busy.

Tracy Hughes is a visitor centre assistant at Forest Drive, and said the event has always been a success in the past.

She said: "We sometimes have five dogs and their handlers come along, but obviously it depends if there are any call- outs that they have to go to." At 11am on Sunday, volunteers from SARDA will hide out at random places in the area.

The dogs will then be let off the lead and will have to find them. Ms Hughes said: "People watching will be able to see them run off and search for the 'bodies'.

It will be explained to them exactly what the dog is doing and whether they're being led by scent or something else."

For more information call 01495 272001.