A decommissioned ambulance bought with public donations has been repurposed to support a specialist search dog unit in Suffolk.

Catherine Jayaram, whose husband Dr Ramaswamy Jayaram was found dead in a woodland after a search and rescue operation, led the public campaign for the funds.

Dr Jay was a consultant psychiatrist for 20 years.Dr Jay was a consultant psychiatrist for 20 years. (Image: Catherine Jayaram) Mrs Jayaram raised £8,000 which has gone towards the ambulance to support the canine search and rescue unit.

The ambulance will be used for search and rescue dogs The ambulance will be used for search and rescue dogs (Image: Newsquest) Darren Debenham, the founder of Guardian K9 Training Centre, a specialist dog centre in Claydon, runs the DK9 Search and Rescue unit which is a charity that works alongside other organisations like the police.

Darren Debenham is the founder of Guardian K9 Training CentreDarren Debenham is the founder of Guardian K9 Training Centre (Image: Newsquest) Mr Debenham said: “There are not many dogs like ours at all. You have search and rescue teams with air scent dogs but we're the ones that get a bit more complex.

The search dogs are highly specialised said Darren DebenhamThe search dogs are highly specialised said Darren Debenham (Image: Darren Debenham) “We can take an item of clothing from a person and our dogs will walk the same way as the person did.”

He explained the many skills of the dogs: “We work with special ops teams too. Our dogs have found knives, they have riot helmets and bulletproof gear. We’ve abseiled down cliffs with them.”

Mr Debenham added his dogs were involved in the Brantham investigation following the death of Anita Rose.

Anita Rose was found dead in Brantham in JulyAnita Rose was found dead in Brantham in July (Image: Suffolk Police) “We don’t cost anything, it’s all donations. You only have to pick up the phone, call us and we'll come out and attend.”

Click here to contact the Mr Debenham. 

Mrs Jayaram previously explained: “I want something positive to come out of something that ultimately is really tragic for our family.

"It would be a legacy if you like, and to continue in his vain, and this is like the perfect thing to get behind."

Mr Debenham wanted to publicly thank Simon Morris Ipswich Ltd for respraying the ambulance at a significant discount, Felixstowe Town councillor Amanda Foley, for helping with funding, and Signs Express for also working on the ambulance.