TV team get dog fight scoop award

The Spotlight team filmed dog fights

BBC NI's Spotlight has received the best investigative current affairs documentary title at a London ceremony.

The programme won the award for Pitbull Sting: an investigation into dog fighting in Northern Ireland last year, led by reporter Mandy McAuley.

They won the award from the Association for International Broadcasting.

Gwyneth Jones from Spotlight said it was a tribute to Ms McAuley and the team for their "courageous journalism" and "rigorous investigation".

Earlier this year, the team won a Royal Television Society award for the scoop.

The 17-month investigation uncovered 15 illegal dog fighting gangs in Northern Ireland and the team travelled to Finland to uncover how illegal dogs are transported from Europe into the province.

Gerard Cavlan, GAA all-Ireland medal winner, was exposed as a senior figure in the dog fighting operation.