SELF-STYLED cowboy John Thomas Hedley was safely back home last night after vanishing for eight days during a coach trip to Germany.

The 70-year-old was last seen wearing a stetson, brown suede jeans, a tan waistcoat and a silver sheriff's badge as he left a McDonald's in Berlin.

Even Interpol was alerted after the trail of the former miner, from Murton, County Durham, grew cold.

But in the end he was spotted by the manager of a German restaurant on Saturday night as he moseyed in for a bite to eat.

He recognised Mr Hedley - known as 'Tot' to family and friends - after a photograph and description of his "remarkable style of dress" appeared in local media.

David Cammock, the husband of Mr Hedley's niece, Valerie, flew to Berlin on Sunday and accompanied the pensioner home last night.

He told The Northern Echo that much of what happened to Mr Hedley during the eight days was still largely a mystery.

"He's safe and well but as yet isn't saying too much. We can't get a lot out of him. He just said that he missed the bus."

The eccentric pensioner, well-know around Murton for his Wild West garb, was travelling alone on a Wallace Arnold coach trip when he disappeared on September 16. He failed to rejoin the coach at the Bahnhof Zoo railway station at 2pm to return to the UK.

"He's safe and well and we are just glad to have him back," said Mr Cammock.