A Portuguese teenager who broke down in tears on the green carpet after securing the win of his young career proved an emotional and unexpected highlight of the third day of Crufts.

Fifteen-year-old Antonio Ribeiro had led English Springer Spaniel Connor to victory in the International Junior Handling final – and boy, how he reacted.

The youngster, who only met the dog he was handling that morning, sank to his knees twice and punched the air triumphantly after the judge selected him as the victor, capturing the hearts and minds of a delighted main arena crowd at the world’s biggest dog show.

Away from the green carpet, pooches from Stunt Dogs and Animals, who provide four-legged friends for the likes of TV hits Poldark and Doc Martin, showcased a variety of tricks for delighted dog lovers.

Among some audience favourites were dogs covering their eyes with their paw, feigning a limp and performing pirouettes.

And it wasn’t just the pure breeds that enjoyed the limelight at the NEC in Birmigham, with the winner of the cross-breed Scruffts competition announced in the arena, too.

Kent teenager Josie Baldwin was left jumping for joy after scooping the title with five-year-old Shih Tzu/Maltese cross Jack.

The pair had reached the final after winning their Good Citizen Dog Scheme category.

Crufts 2018 concludes tomorrow with Best in Show in the evening.