A Romford man has been reunited with his beloved pet dog following an appeal in The Recorder.

As reported last week, Derek Diable believed his pooch Rosie had been stolen from outside his Heath Park Road home when he had popped down the side of his house for a can of paint.

The three-year-old bulldog was also the subject of a massive poster campaign in the area, and the apparent incident was reported to the police.

But after our appeal last week, a resident got in touch to say that he had found Rosie in the road and taken her into his care when he couldn’t find her owner.

Mick Spring said: “I nearly ran her over in the road. I thought ‘that dog shouldn’t be out on its own’. She’s such a lovely dog I knew she must belong to someone.”

The Romford man said that he had reported his find to the police but didn’t want to hand her in to the dog warden believing that there may be a risk of her being destroyed if she wasn’t claimed.

Last Friday he added: “I just looked in the Romford Recorder and I saw your story and knew that was her.”

Owner Derek Diable, 55, said: “She was really well looked after, they are a lovely family, and just I’m over the moon about getting her back.

“I’m now spending hours on the street taking down all the posters. Thank you very much (Romford Recorder) for all your help.”