Staff kept coming into work and finding dogs on the loose and food everywhere, so installed cameras to find out how the crafty canines were getting out.

Lurcher Red was the key, unlocking his kennel at Battersea Dogs Home with his nose and teeth before setting free some pals to run around with.

Red's kennel has now been made more secure to stop him escaping.

A spokesperson from the dogs' home said that the most dogs Red had ever released in one night was nine.

"For the last two weeks staff have been arriving every morning to a complete mess with dogs and food everywhere," she said.

"He [Red] only ever chooses his mates to let out, with Lucky the dog, who he was found with, being the first to be freed.

"We don't have CCTV cameras in the corridor so couldn't work out how he was doing it so we asked a film company to set up some cameras."