A doggy day-care has gone full festive this Christmas, transforming its pups into a star-studded nativity scene.

Staff at Pooches Playhouse in Failsworth, Greater Manchester, dressed the daycare dogs in full costume and posed them in a barn-like set, complete with straw and a festive backdrop. Video footage captured the pooches perfectly "performing" their roles.

Cocker spaniels Maeve and Reggie took centre stage as Mary and Joseph, while tiny Yorkshire Terrier Toby played the role of baby Jesus in a cosy basket. CJ the cockapoo was the angel, Betty the English Bulldog portrayed the donkey, Snoop the cockapoo was the shepherd and Rottweiler Axel, Labrador Red and Doberman Lilo wore crowns as the three wise men.

placeholder image — Pooches Playhouse / SWNS

Niamh Knowles, spokesperson for Pooches Playhouse, said: "We are always looking for fun ideas for our dogs to get involved in. First, we had to get them in costumes, which, as you can imagine, was hard work!

"Once they were ready, we did some training exercises to get them to sit and stay for the photos, of course with lots of treats. All the dogs were happy and comfortable in their costumes. At this time of year, we know Christmas can be tough for some people, so we wanted this Nativity to bring a little joy and happiness to someone’s day."

It took hours of patience and plenty of treats to get the perfect shot, but the result is a heartwarming festive scene that’s guaranteed to bring a smile.