A FIVE-YEAR-OLD hero army sniffer dog has been forced to retire from the frontline after he became scared of loud noises.

Vidar, of St Athan, in the Vale, saved the lives of hundreds of soldiers before suddenly becoming 'gun shy' – a term used to describe dogs who are frightened of loud noises.

Brave Vidar served alongside top soldiers in Afghanistan sniffing out roadside bombs and enemy weapons.

But after two years of loyal service the plucky pooch became petrified of loud sounds. Vidar started to shake with fear when he heard bombs exploding or the sound of helicopters.

He was taken in by Welsh-based Reserve Army medic Angie McDonnell who first saw him cowering in his kennel during her tour in the Helmand Province.

The medic befriend Vidar, a Belgian Malinois, and six months after meeting the dog she found out his was retired and tracked him down to rehome him.

Ms McDonnell said: "From the first moment I saw him, I knew he was special.

"The military working dogs are the real heroes. They do the job of several soldiers.

"The dogs out there do an amazing job, protecting the men and women serving their country from dangerous IEDs."

She said: "I couldn't bear to think of him being left in the kennels. He is such a big, frightened dog, I was worried that he might not get rehomed, that he would get overlooked and might end up being put down."

Vidar's explosive tales are now being told in a new book called Gun Shy about his time finding explosives which could have killed British troops.

The book relates Vidar's life which began dodging bullets on the enemy lines and found a happy ending chasing balls across the beaches of the Vale of Glamorgan near Ms McDonnell’s home.

Ms McDonnell, who served with the 3 Medical Regiment in Afghanistan, said: "Vidar was such a gentle soul. I knew he deserved a chance of a happy retirement.

"Vidar has taught me so much about how to care for a retired working dog. We are learning together and loving every minute.

"When I first brought him home, I didn't know what to expect but now I have a fantastically loyal dog. He is 26 kilos of love."