Sausage dogs fill cafe as Suffolk mass walk rained off

News imageBBC Two sleeping dachshunds .BBC
Soggy sausage dogs sleeping at the seaside in Suffolk

More than 100 dachshunds and their owners braved torrential rain for a trip to the seaside.

They came from as far as Edinburgh for the sixth Southwold Sausage Walk in Suffolk, which was due to take place on Sunday.

But it had to be called off because of heavy rain, so a pier cafe offered shelter to people and pets.

The event was in aid of charities that support dogs with a spinal condition called intervertebral disc disease.

News imageBBC Event organiser Stuart McBurneyBBC
Event organiser Stuart McBurney said: "We've been overwhelmed. There's people from Edinburgh, London, Manchester and all over. It's got me pretty emotional"
News imageBBC Two dachshunds.BBC
It would have been the sixth walk and a record 600 dachshunds were expected to take part
News imageBBC Jamie Taylor, pictured with daughter CorinBBC
Jamie Taylor, pictured with daughter Corin, travelled from Edinburgh to take part. He said: "It's just unfortunate that it's rained but the atmosphere is great. This has got to be the most dachshunds in a café at one time"
News imageBBC Group of dog owners and their dogs.BBC
Fiona Bensly (L) said: "This event is great. It's a shame about the weather but we've still had lots of sausage fun"
News imageBBC Kes Vadika with his two dogsBBC
Kes Vadika, from Colchester, said: "We wanted just to meet up with more standard dachshunds as there are not many in the UK now, most people go for the miniature version"
News imageBBC Dogs in a cafe.BBC
A cafe on Southwold pier opened up specially to offer shelter to pets and people
News imageBBC Grey skies over a choppy sea in Southwold, Suffolk.BBC
Torrential rain hit Suffolk and Norfolk on Sunday

Photographs by Martin Barber.

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