When partially sighted Bracha Ben-Avraham realised that her vision was deteriorating further, she contacted the Israel Guide Dog Centre.

Having lived most her life without mobility aids, the thought of "suddenly needing help scared me". What frightened her most was the prospect of losing her independence.

In 2009, the centre provided Ms Ben-Avraham with a labrador, Suki. The dog became indispensible to her and when Suki died suddenly in 2012, "it was a major drama. I counted the days until I got another dog because it was so hard for me to manage without her."

She was then partnered with Dinka, a golden retriever and labrador cross, and they will be travelling from Israel to participate in the 5k, continuing a tradition started in 2013, after quarantine restrictions were dropped.

Ms Ben-Avraham, 58, said: "Dinka is extremely intelligent. She needs to walk a route only once before committing it to memory."

Ms Ben-Avraham works part-time in marketing for the charity in Israel.