David Blunkett has waived goodbye to his closest aide - his guide dog Lucy.

The home secretary's trusted black Labrador, who has been a familiar sight around Westminster, is retiring after seven years by her master's side.

Her successor was announced on Friday as Sadie - a two-year-old black Labrador-curly-coated retriever cross.

Sadie will be Blunkett's fifth guide dog.

The cabinet minister began relying on man's best friend when he went to university and became active in student politics.

Lucy, 10, will be retiring to Greater Manchester at the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association base.

The home secretary will be kept informed about how she is.

The working life of a guide dog is about seven years.

Blunkett is one of almost 5000 guide dog partnerships in the UK.

Lucy's greatest claim to fame was that she vomited in the Commons chamber during an education debate just after David Willetts, then shadow education secretary, started to attack the government's education policy.

Blunkett is on record as saying that parting with Lucy would be "enough to break his heart and bring tears to his eyes".