World Cup tales part 3: The dog that found the stolen trophy and became an English national hero

Instead, he was a dog. And his name was Pickles.

The black-and-white collie became an unlikely national hero after finding the stolen World Cup trophy just months before the tournament began, helping recover football's most famous prize before the tournament began.

The extraordinary tale began on March 20, 1966.

England was preparing to stage the World Cup for the first time and the Jules Rimet Trophy was on public display at the "Sport with Stamps" exhibition inside Westminster's Central Hall.

Despite security being in place, thieves managed to steal the trophy from its display cabinet, triggering a nationwide search.

The disappearance then caused panic.

With less than four months until the tournament, the Football Association faced the possibility of hosting football's biggest event without the sport's most famous prize. Scotland Yard launched a major investigation and the story quickly made headlines around the world.

A ransom demand soon followed.

A man using the name "Jackson" contacted FA chairman Joe Mears and demanded £15,000 in exchange for the trophy's return.

Police organised a sting operation and arrested a former soldier. However, the trophy itself remained missing.

Then, just seven days after the theft, came one of the most famous canine discoveries in sporting history.

On March 27, David Corbett was taking his four-year-old dog Pickles for a walk in Upper Norwood, south London.

As Pickles sniffed around near a parked car, he became interested in a package wrapped tightly in newspaper and string.

Corbett examined the parcel and quickly realised it might be the missing World Cup trophy.

Corbett took the package to a local police station, where officers initially struggled to believe his story.

After further examination, however, it became clear that the Jules Rimet Trophy had indeed been recovered. The World Cup had been found, and Pickles was responsible.

For a brief period, Corbett himself fell under suspicion as detectives attempted to establish exactly how the trophy had been recovered.

He was eventually cleared of any involvement and suddenly found himself, along with Pickles, at the centre of a media frenzy.

The collie then proceeded to become an overnight celebrity.

Newspapers across Britain featured photographs of Pickles. Television appearances followed and the dog's fame soon spread far beyond England.

He was awarded a silver medal by the National Canine Defence League and received widespread recognition for his role in recovering the trophy.

His celebrity status even led to a film role.

Later in 1966, Pickles appeared in the comedy film "The Spy with a Cold Nose" alongside actor Eric Sykes. He also featured on television programmes and was named Dog of the Year.

Corbett benefited too.

The rewards connected to the recovery totalled several thousand pounds, a substantial sum at the time. According to later accounts, he used part of the money to buy a house in Surrey.

The story received a perfect ending when England went on to win the World Cup.

Following the famous 4-2 victory over West Germany after extra time at Wembley, Pickles' fame continued, with the dog appearing at public events and receiving widespread recognition.

The dog who had helped save the tournament became part of football folklore.

Sadly, however, Pickles' life was short.

In 1967, just a year after becoming a national celebrity, he tragically died in an accident near the family's Surrey home while chasing a cat.

His owner later buried him in the garden.

Today, Pickles' collar is displayed at the National Football Museum in Manchester, ensuring his place in football history remains secure.

England's 1966 World Cup victory remains the nation's greatest football achievement.

But had it not been for a curious collie sniffing around a newspaper parcel on a spring evening in south London, the tournament's most famous trophy might never have made it to Wembley at all.