A dog has been caught on camera breaking out of his kennel at Battersea Dogs Home and freeing other animals for regular midnight feasts. Red has been unlocking his kennel using his nose and teeth before releasing his favourite canine companions.

Staff at the south London animal shelter decided to install cameras after arriving each day to find food everywhere and dogs running amok.

The lurcher’s kennel has now been made more secure to stop him escaping.

Liz Emeny, from the home, told BBC News Online 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.”

The three-year-old lurcher has been at the home since June after being handed into a London police station in an emaciated state.

“Lurchers aren’t usually known for their intelligence but Red is such an inquisitive dog and would be so easy to train,” Ms Emeny added.