The owners of a dog who was thought to have been stolen said they are 'absolutely delighted' after being reunited.

The Overton family, of Marsham, near Aylsham, had feared the worst for their beloved pet Lulu when she went missing at around 9.15am on Saturday May 11.

To their relief, the six-year-old miniature Yorkshire terrier was discovered in Hevingham - more than two miles away from her home on Old Norwich Road.

Mark Overton, father of Lulu's owner Brooke, said it was "great news" and that the family was "absolutely delighted".

"A lady contacted us via Facebook and said she had Lulu after finding her outside our house," he said.

"We want to thank everyone who helped in the search for her, especially the community of Marsham who have been out looking for her along with their children. Everyone has been fantastic.

"We are absolutely made up."

More than 20 residents from the north Norfolk village had joined together for an extensive search of the area.

The Overton family, who had reported the incident to Norfolk police, spent most of the morning driving around the village looking for Lulu.

An appeal for information was shared on social media and many people responded by offers of help to search or well wishes.

There was extra concern for Lulu as she suffers from a condition called liver shunt and needs medication three times a day. It was feared that if she had not been found quickly enough then toxins would have developed in her body, causing her to potentially have a seizure.

She has been with the family since she was just weeks old and, although had the condition since birth, was only diagnosed at the age of three. A liver shunt occurs when an abnormal connection persists or forms between veins, allowing blood to bypass or shunt around the liver.

The family had been "left in bits" but are now happy Lulu has been returned home safely.

- For information about what to do if you find a dog, visit Blue Cross for Pets online at https://www.bluecross.org.uk/pet-advice/missing-and-stray-dogs.