Lance Corporal Tripod, a three legged Jack Russell, is retiring from the army after 14 years patrolling the border country around South Armagh, the Ministry of Defence has announced.

Tripod was adopted as a six month old by soldiers in the Middletown Security base after losing a hind leg in a traffic accident.

The black and white terrier set up home in the base operations room - the only room in base manned 24-hours a day.

During her extended tour of duty, Tripod ignored her disability to regularly accompany soldiers on patrol along the roads and across the fields of South Armagh - often for 12 hours at a time.

After surviving several terrorist mortar bomb attacks on the army base and suffering a few 'war wounds' the terrier is going into retirement.

An army spokesman said she would be enjoying the retirement with an army family in Northern Ireland.

The news came just in time - as the Northern Ireland Policing Board announced the Middletown base is closing.

Board chairman Professor Sir Desmond Rea said they had decided to endorse a closure proposal from PSNI Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde.

Sir Desmond said the closure of any police station was a sensitive issue.

But he said: 'In this instance the Board is pleased that the alternative policing measures being put in place will be of benefit to policing in the area.'

He said the Board believed 'the closure of Middletown station will allow for more effective and efficient use of police resources'.

However he said they would observe developments closely to ensure that the alternative arrangements did not disadvantage the people of Middletown.

Middletown is the latest in a series of stations to be closed. A strategy endorsed by the Policing Board in May last year identified 61 stations for review and possible closure.

(Photo: PA / Cpl Steven Peacock RLC/ MoD Crown copyright )