The future of a sniffer dog used by West Yorkshire Fire Service as a weapon in the war against arson was set to be decided today.

Dexter, a two-year-old black Labrador, has been sniffing around over the past nine months to find out whether fires have been started deliberately.

The Fire Authority's Finance and General Purposes Committee was to vote at a meeting today on whether to make Dexter's role as a detector dog permanent.

Dexter and his trainer Sub-Officer Chris Clarke - based in the community safety department in Nelson Street, Bradford - have been called out to almost 50 fires across West Yorkshire since last October.

Mr Clarke said Dexter's success rate in finding the source of blazes was 100 per cent. "We've covered fires ranging from house fires with deaths right through to large industrial premises and schools," he said, "We have used Dexter to go into a fire scene and to detect what type of fire-starter has been used."

Mr Clarke said Dexter pinpoints the source of the fire to an inch, allowing fire investigators and forensic teams to take samples from the scene.

In some cases Dexter even found the container which carried the fire-starter and fingerprints had been taken of the arsonists.

Dexter can sniff out flammable liquids including petrol, diesel, paraffin, barbecue lighter fuel, cigarette lighter fuel and white spirits.

The pair have also raised awareness about fires among schoolchildren.

It would cost £4,000 a year to make the post permanent but the cost could be reduced by sponsorship. White Cross Vets sponsored Dexter and provided free treatment at the surgery in Guiseley during the trial period.

Councillor Choudhary Rangzeb (University, Labour), who sits on the authority's Finance and General Purposes Committee, said he supported Dexter's work.

"Last year we had 700 incidents of arson throughout West Yorkshire," he said. "Anything to bring the culprits to justice is welcome."