'Footballer has made my dog a local celebrity'
A pet owner says her dog has become a local celebrity after an Ipswich Town player was pictured with him during promotion celebrations.
Emma Mildwater took Teddy, her French bulldog and chow-chow cross, into Isaacs on the Quay in the town to celebrate the Blues' promotion to the Premier League.
A video of Teddy being carried by defender Harry Clarke has been viewed more than 90,000 times on X.
Ms Mildwater, of Ipswich, said: "We had a great day at the game, and then to go down and that happen after, it made our day."
Ms Mildwater and Teddy joined the celebrations at the quayside bar on Sunday after the Tractor Boys secured promotion with a 2-0 win over Huddersfield the previous afternoon.
The 41-year-old said: "I was worried that people were going to trip over him so I picked him up.
"That's when Harry Clarke saw [us] from the balcony. He shouted 'Come down here!'
"I said 'Take him up to see the team if you want' and he did!"
The footballer asked what breed Teddy was before revealing he had been considering getting a chow-chow himself.
At one point he asked if Teddy could join the team on Monday's open top bus parade, an offer that Ms Mildwater politely declined.
"We've got a famous dog - he is a beautiful dog - but he is now getting recognised," she said.
"We've had people coming up to us saying 'Is this the dog that Harry Clarke had?'"
The family have started an Instagram page for Teddy in hope of building his fame further.
Ipswich-born Clarke, 23, has been at the forefront of celebrations with fans at venues across the town, prompting a new chant of: "Harry Clarke - he never goes home!"
Ms Mildwater praised him for his interaction with supporters.
"Harry Clarke was fantastic down here. He was interacting with so many people, soaking up the atmosphere - it was just absolutely amazing," she said.
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