Bertie could bring home a �1,000 prize if he wins

Bertie, a hearing dog from Aberystwyth, saved a patient who was on the same ward as his owner at Cardiff's University Hospital of Wales.

Now he could be rewarded with the Golden Bonio Award 2003 - and a �1,000 prize - at a ceremony to find the most outstanding dog in Britain.

Bertie is among the final 12 contenders from more than 300 dogs entered.

Among the other finalists at the lunchtime ceremony at Kensington Roof Gardens, are a Metropolitan Police dog, a Customs and Excise sniffer dog and talented canines from as far afield as Staffordshire and Berkshire.

As a hearing dog, Bertie alerts owner Gill Stevenson to noises such as doorbells or when her text telephone rings.

Dogs are trained for around four months before they are let out into people's homes, where training continues.

Bertie did his good deed while he was visiting owner Ms Stevenson in hospital and noticed the woman opposite had stopped breathing.

Bertie hears sounds for owner Gill Stevenson

He started barking loudly to alert staff.

"We couldn't quieten him down, we didn't know what was wrong, so one of the nurses went across to check that she was all right and in fact she wasn't all right," said Ms Stevenson.

"I love him dearly - he is a beautiful little dog," she added.

It is not the first time Bertie has been in line for awards - back in November 2001, he was named hearing dog of the month.

Other contenders include Bobby, a male greyhound who took care of seven orphaned puppies, and a golden retriever who led his owner to discover he had skin cancer after his doctor had diagnosed it as eczema.

At the ceremony at Kensington Roof Gardens on Tuesday, the winning dog will be chosen by a panel of judges which includes TV personality Anthea Turner, actress Miranda Richardson and TV presenter Gloria Hunniford.

Bonio spokeswoman Julie Donoghue said: "With so many inspirational and touching stories judging was a near impossible task."