AN injured German shepherd dog had a joyful reunion with her owners yesterday thanks to an appeal in The Northern Echo.

Five-year-old Holly has been cared for over the past week by vet Paul Wilson, of Bishop Auckland, County Durham, who treated her after she was involved in a road accident near Trimdon Grange.

Fortunately, her owners are readers of The Northern Echo, and saw a photograph of their lost pet in yesterday's paper.

Holly, it emerged, had been missing for two weeks following a break-in at their smallholding in the east of County Durham.

Mr Wilson's practice administrator, Rachel Booth, said last night: "They had been searching frantically for her, but their was no sign.

"Somebody had broken in and let her out along with their Jack Russell, which they found.

"Then the woman was sitting having a cup of tea (reading her paper) and saw her, and called us straightaway.

"When they came to get her it was fabulous to see them reunited. She is a lovely dog.

"On top of that, we had phone calls from 11 or 12 people who were offering to give her a home. It was a wonderful response."