By Rob Byrne

A beloved family dog has miraculously been found in Somerset, over 200 miles away from where she was stolen 18 months ago.

Fifi, a six year old cocker spaniel, was taken from Collier Street near Yalding back in January 2017.

Kelly Martin and Elliot Brown, from Honiton in Devon, had noticed a dog running around by the brow of a hill. Fifi then collapsed on the hill, and they took her to a vet in Honiton the next morning. Dog wardens from South Somerset District Council then picked Fifi up and she was placed in the hands of St Giles Animal Centre.

Owner Kate Kershaw, 35, feared that thieves had snatched the copper coloured pet so that they could breed from her. However Fifi is infertile, and this was picked up on by St Giles Animal Centre owner Vanessa Linnell.

"A post that the finder put up on Facebook generated tons of interest about Fifi, and there were lots of references to different cocker spaniels that had gone missing. I went through a lot of the details on Facebook and eventually got through to Kate, where there were so many indicators that it could be Fifi.

"After having several conversations with Kate, she came up from London to Somerset. There was not an instant recognition on Fifi's part, but that is common with nervous and traumatised dogs that have been away from their owners."

When Kate and her mother Angela arrived at the rescue centre on Tuesday July 17, Fifi initially recognised Angela's voice after about half an hour with her and went on to bond with Kate on the journey home.

Kate told the KM: "Fifi's head was nestled into my neck for the four hour journey home - when she was back in our house she knew exactly where she was. I slept next to her bed and I cuddled her all through the night.

"I'm a positive thinker - something I held in the back of my mind was that she would come back one day.

"If there weren't people like Vanessa and all of those at St Giles, and if there weren't people like Kelly and Elliot - we wouldn't be where we are today. It restores my faith in humanity that there are people out there that care."