THIS miracle dog was abused, abandoned, tied to a post with a broken leg and left for dead.

But now ‘Cher’ is enjoying 14 mile runs in the Lake District with her marathon-mad owner, having been rescued and nurtured back to health.

And Cher’s keeper Hayley Leece has championed her four-legged friend’s dogged spirit - saying ‘divine intervention’ brought them together to form the perfect bond.

Cher - a cross between a golden retriever and a Greek domestic dog called a kokoni - was originally found on the streets of Nicosia, Cyprus.

It’s thought the pooch, now two-and-a-half-years old, had been badly beaten, as she’s still fearful of sticks.

But Cher was rescued by the animal charity ‘Dog Rescue Cyprus’ - aka ‘DALI’ - and brought to England by smitten Hayley, 35.

And now - with Cher running at her side during training - Hayley is raising funds for the rescue charity having just completed an epic ultra marathon, Rat Race’s ‘Man vs Lakes’, covering some 32 miles in the process.

Hayley, reception manager at the Langdale Chase Hotel and from Ambleside, said: “When we first saw photos of Cher online, she looked so broken. You could see the deep sadness in her eyes.

“Her leg had been completely shattered and she’d been tied to her lamppost to die. I dread to think how much she must have suffered. She’s still scared of sticks, which indicates she was probably beaten.

“But to look at her now it’s hard to recognise the same dog.

“She’s healthy, happy and full of life and she’s certainly not letting her wonky leg stand in her way.

“Her favourite thing to do is to accompany me on long runs in the Lake District fells. In fact, she gets so upset if I go out without her.

“Which is why Cher and I are using our mutual love of running to raise much needed funds for other dogs in Cher’s position. It’s the least we can do.”

Last month Hayley took part in Rat Race’s Man vs Lakes, an extraordinary challenge beginning on the quicksands of Morecambe Bay and finishing near Lake Coniston.

Not only was Cher waiting for her at the finish line, but Hayley says it was her canine companion who helped her rack-up the preparatory training miles.

Explaining how Cher came into her life, Hayley, - who lives with chef partner Tom Varga, said: “I don’t know why I even Googled the rescue charity in Cyprus. But it must have been divine intervention - she was just meant to be with us.

“If it wasn't for being taken into the care of DALI, she would have spent two weeks in a municipality pound before being euthanised. DALI take dogs under their wing who have essentially been sentenced to death in the pound and take care of them for as long as it takes in order to find a home.

“Yet when she eventually got to England, we just gelled straight away.

“She was, though, scared of being left alone. She’d freak out if I even left the room. Which is why going out running together has been an incredible way for us to bond.

“Cher’s leg is still a little misshapen from the injury, but it doesn’t stop her setting the pace. She’s got the spirit of a husky and literally drags me along.”

Hayley says Cher is also a shining example of how adopting dogs from abroad can be highly successful - despite some critics arguing against the practice.

She explains: “Cher is well-mannered and has always understood commands. She’s clearly been part of someone’s family, as opposed to a street dog, which makes what happened to her all the more heartbreaking.

“Yet she’s an absolutely sweetheart with no behavioural problems whatsoever.

“Yes, there are dogs rescued from abroad who do have issues. But there are also owners out there willing to deal with those issues.

“When Cher is no longer with us, I will adopt through Dali again. I’ll never buy a puppy.”

Hayley received Cher in September 2016, having paid £425 for the dog to be flown to the UK with all vaccinations and a pet passport.

And now Hayley will be lacing-up her running shoes with Cher once more as they set their sights on a new challenge - to ‘bag’ all 214 of the Lakeland fells documented by acclaimed author Alfred Wainwright.

Hayley said: “So far Cher and I have managed to summit 75 of them - and we hope to tick all 214 by the end of next year.

“Cher loves being on the fells and I can’t wait to continue our adventures.”

So far Hayley has raised more than £700 for the rescue charity through her Rat Race Man vs Lakes feat - but she’s hoping to raise even more.

Jackie McKenzie, spokeswoman for DALI Dog Rescue, said: "We could not be happier for Cher and remain dedicated to finding homes for the dogs in Cyprus who continue to come into our care."

To donate, go to: https://www.totalgiving.co.uk/mypage/chertakesthelakes

For enter next year’s Rat Race Man vs Lakes event, go to: http://ratracemanvslakes.co.uk/