Ant McPartlin’s ex Lisa Armstrong shares adorable tribute to their dog Hurley on his birthday amid custody battle

LISA Armstrong has shared an adorable new post of her beloved dog Hurley as the pup marked his 11th birthday.

The former wife of Ant McPartlin marked the occasion by sharing a throwback snap of the dog during his younger years.

Lisa refereed to the pooch as her "baby boy" in the adorable snap as he stared right down the lens of the camera in the stunning shot.

The Strictly Come Dancing make-up artist acquired the dog with her former husband when he was only a puppy.

The Chocolate Labrador has been at the centre of both of their lives and has played a major part in the couple's messy split.

Hurley has been a shoulder to cry on for Lisa amid dealing with the continued public fallout over their split.

Lisa has been left needing the support of the pooch amid the confirmation that 48-year-old Ant had become a dad for the first time.

The Britain's Got Talent star, 48, announced his son Wilder Patrick McPartlin to the world in an Instagram post praising his wife Anne-Marie Corbett, 46, who was once his personal assistant.

Sources have since told The Sun how the birth hit Lisa "hard" and she is now prepared to enter into a custody war with her ex in order to keep Hurley to herself.

Last month, a source exclusviely told The Sun:  "Lisa is really struggling with the news, she knew it was coming and had geared herself up for it but it still hit hard when she saw it.

"She felt very betrayed by both Ant and Anne-Marie and felt that none of this has been handled sensitively, especially the announcement of the baby. She’s really been through it all in the past seven years and sometimes she amazes herself how strong she’s been.

"But the one thing that has got her through it and been by her side constantly is Hurley – she doesn’t know what she would do without him. He’s more than just a dog to her and has been a lifeline at times."

Hurley often features on Lisa's social media account with her calling him "beautiful" and "mama's baby boy".

The fact she's had to battle to keep him in her life at all is a sore point for Lisa, who feels the least Ant can do is grant her full custody given his own thriving personal life.

However, Ant made his stance clear in the past when he reportedly instructed lawyers: "She can have anything she wants – except the dog.”

The source explained: "She really had to fight Ant for him, which she still is annoyed about as he got other dogs with Anne-Marie and now she would just like Hurley to live with her full-time.

"Ant obviously loves Hurley as well but he now has a lot of other responsibilities and things going on in his life and Lisa can’t see why she can’t have full custody of him.

"She’s very vulnerable at the moment and knows that the excitement and publicity over Ant and the baby is going to go into overdrive and he won’t be able to stop talking about being a dad and she finds a lot of comfort in Hurley.

"At the moment she has escaped on a holiday to get away from it all but that’s only temporary and when she gets back reality will really hit and as well as her friends and family, she needs Hurley by her side.”