Family reunited with pet pooch after almost a year apart

A family from Burton-on-Trent are thrilled to be reunited with their pet dog after spending nearly a year apart looking for her.

Ginny, the border terrier, went missing on the 23 January 2015 after escaping from the garden of their family home, after a window cleaner had left the gate open.

Despite witnesses saying they had seen Ginny being claimed by another man, Hannah Denton and her family couldn't trace her.

They spent hundreds of pounds on advertising, including a giant billboard that was set up next to the M1, as well as creating a huge social media campaign on Facebook and Twitter, that even received attention from the likes of Andy Murray and Lorraine Kelly.

31-year-old Hannah even attended Crufts to raise her profile but still heard nothing.

After spending Christmas away from 14-month-old Ginny, Hannah, her husband Mark, and 9-year-old son Charlie, all received a late present when on New Year's Day.

Whilst out walking with her two other border terriers, Bertie and Woody, Hannah received a call from her sister who was crying and screaming to say Ginny had been found safe and well - 60 miles away in Doncaster, after being handed in as a stray.

Inbetween the time the vets called, to Hannah arriving in Doncaster, someone else had tried to claim Ginny as their pet - they thought they had legitimately bought her last year but were given chip details for a chip that was never inserted into her.

Police are now working with the interim owners to trace the purchase back to the people who stole her in the first place.

Hannah said the other family are as much a victim of fraud as they are of theft.