TWO police dogs paid a surprise visit to the Stonehouse home of one of their biggest fans yesterday.

Teenager Lillie Gardner loves police dogs so much that officer PC Claire Todd decided to pop in with her canine colleagues Stella the Staffie and German shepherd Quest.

Lillie suffers from rare illness GPA vasculitis and is often too unwell to attend school.

After hearing about her illness and her love of animals, PC Todd made the time to take Stella and Quest to her home to cheer her up.

Lillie had no idea the visit was taking place.

She was sitting on the sofa with mum Chrysan and family friend Hash Norat, who were both in on the secret, when at 3.30pm there was a knock on the door.

Lillie got up to answer and was blown away when she saw who was waiting on the other side.

“It’s definitely a dream come true and a lovely surprise, especially after the last few months,” said Lillie, who follows Stella and Quest’s adventures on Twitter and has seen them both in action at a live demonstration.

Hash Norat, who heads up the Gloucester Feed The Hungry volunteer team, helped to organise the surprise.

He said: “Stella the Staff, Quest the beautiful German shepherd, mum Chrysan and PC Claire Todd made a young lady very happy today. Made her day? Year? The smiles said it all.

“Thank you to Claire and Gloucestershire Constabulary for making a life changing difference.”

Award-winning police dog Stella has only recently returned to work after undergoing successful stem cell treatment on a shoulder injury.

A former rescue dog, she was voted public service animal of the year at the 2015 Animal Hero Awards. She was nominated after finding £25,000 in cash and her story hit the national news as she was the first pure Staffordshire bull terrier police dog.

Lillie was diagnosed in January 2018 with GPA vasculitis at Bristol Children’s Hospital.

GPA vasculitis is a rare disorder characterised by inflammation of the blood vessels, which can restrict blood flow and damage vital organs and tissues.

Lillie’s mum Chrysan said: “She was diagnosed after all her organs started to fail. She received chemotherapy, lots of blood transfusions, was put on lots of medications and she fought like a true warrior.

“Lillie has since spent many weeks in and out of hospital fighting infections and being given chemotherapy.

"Not a week goes by where if she’s not at a hospital appointment or an inpatient then she’s at her GP.

“Lillie always smiles even though her life now is filled with pain and fighting infections. She does her best to attend school when her body lets her.

“She loves watching films and documentaries on forensics detectives and she loves watching things about the police, and even more so about police dogs.

“Lillie’s dream is to become a children’s nurse so she can help others going through what she goes through."