HEARING dog Hylton will be joining Specsavers Dudley as a guest of honour on Tuesday March 5, marking the beginning of the store's fundraising efforts for Hearing Dogs for Deaf People.

This will follow on from the global awareness day, World Hearing Day, which takes place on Sunday March 3.

Throughout the week, from March 3 to 10, the store in Castle Street will contribute £1 for every hearing test to the charity, while also offering MOTs for spectacles such as cleaning and adjustments in return for donations.

Humah Zaheer, audiology director of Specsavers Dudley, said: "We are really looking forward to meeting Hylton and his owner Sheila on Tuesday and want to encourage people to support us with our efforts in raising funds for Hearing Dogs for Deaf People.

"The charity does such amazing work training dogs to alert deaf people to sounds they can't hear, as well as helping them to leave loneliness behind – so anything we can do to support their efforts is a bonus".

Hearing loss affects people of all ages but people often ignore the signs - concerned about being judged by others.

People are advised to get their hearing checked if they notice any change in their hearing, regardless of their age. Most of the time hearing loss happens gradually, making it harder to notice any deterioration.