AN adorable guide dog puppy has made its first visit to the Worcester supermarket which is sponsoring it.

Costa, who is almost five months old, carries special significance to staff at Sainsbury's Blackpole store in Windermere Drive after being named in memory of a colleague who died last year.

Ivor Watts worked at the store for 29 years but sadly died in October 2012, aged 46, shortly after an operation.

He was a huge fan of the coffee group Costa and regularly kept friends updated with photos of the different branches he had visited with girlfriend Paula Woodward.

"I just think it's something that's really good to do in memory of Ivor," she said.

"He was such a lovely guy."

Miss Woodward was joined at the Blackpole store by Mr Watts' mother, Joyce Watts, to see Costa 'introduced' to Sainsbury's staff.

The supermarket giant has once again chosen Guide Dogs - formerly Guide Dogs for the Blind - as its charity partnership and the Blackpole store alone has raised about £6,000 for the group in the past year.

"It was a special moment for colleagues here to meet Costa who is a great legacy to Ivor," said Chris Weston, the store's PR ambassador.

Your Worcester News reported before Christmas that the name Costa had been chosen, with Mr Weston agreeing it was a suitable choice.

“We were forever seeing photos and updates on Facebook of which Costa coffee store Ivor was visiting,” he said.

“Ivor touched so many people in that time and everyone, new and old, knew him.

“He is sadly missed by all the colleagues who knew him and not a moment goes by without us thinking of him."