A GUIDE dog owner from Henllan has completed her first half-marathon with the help of two human running guides.

Louise Jenkins, owner of guide dog Trinity, finished the Llanelli Half Marathon in two hours 43 minutes on Sunday, easily beating her target time of three hours.

She was accompanied by Aberystwyth runners Karen Isobel and Mel Gaul, with Mel attached to Louise via a wristband. The trio were filmed at various stages of the run by ITV Wales for an episode of Coast and Country, to be aired next month.

Louise, 52, said: “Having two guides was a way of keeping space for me, as it was really busy and sometimes people run between you and the guide.

“I’d never run that far before and it felt like really hard work between the 10th and 12th mile, but I was delighted to finish in less than three hours.

“My husband Adrian and daughter Alison were cheering me on and my guide dog Trinity was there at the finish. They helped me to raise £500 in sponsorship for Guide Dogs Cymru.”

Louise, who works full time as the manager of Camfan mental health drop-in centre in Ceredigion, has a number of sporting challenges lined up for 2018.

“I’m running another 10k race in Cardiff next month, then I’m doing the Swim 100 for Guide Dogs in May and a sponsored abseil in June,” she said.

“Getting a guide dog changed my life. I didn’t choose to lose my sight and every day brings challenges but, by taking part in these events, I feel I am choosing my challenges.”

Louise and three-year-old Trinity were the stars of a recent national prime-time television advertising campaign for Guide Dogs UK involving a bracing dip in the sea at Llangrannog.

Louise was also voted Inspirational Guide Dog Owner of the Year by the viewers of ITV’s This Morning last May.