Mark and Jo Izard with winning dog Ellie at Crufts

A dog whose mother and grandmother have both won top awards at Crufts carried on the family tradition by scooping a major prize at the world’s most important dog show.

Jo Izard, from Canterbury, and Ellie, a five-and-a-half-year-old German short haired pointer, walked away with the top trophy in the gamekeepers’ classes.

Ellie was one of more than 26,000 dogs at Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre, where the pair fought off competition to take the coveted prize inside the main arena.

Mrs Izard, pictured left with Ellie, said: "I’ve been coming to Crufts for more than 20 years showing dogs and three generations of Ellie’s family have won big awards at Crufts and I’m delighted to continue the fine tradition."

Mrs Izard and Ellie qualified for best in class by winning the Dodson and Horrell trophy in the gamekeepers’ any variety class at the event.

Mrs Izard, who runs a shoot with her husband Mark, received the Northesk Memorial Trophy.

She said: "I’m thrilled to have won. It’s been an amazing day and very, very emotional, I’m absolutely thrilled to bits.

"We love these dogs, especially when they are working dogs, they are your partners. They do work hard. Ellie did more than 50 days of picking-up pheasants last season. She really is a fulltime working dog."