Bella from Rothwell reunited with owner Sarah Osborne

Phil and Sarah Osborne have been working tirelessly to find Bella after the female English springer spaniel was taken from outside the Tesco Express store in Bridge Street, Rothwell, at about 7.20pm on October 10.

She had been tied to a tree while they went into the shop, but someone untied her and walked off towards Market Hill.

The appeal to find Bella went viral on social media with thousands of people sharing it and urging others to do the same.

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Bella has been found in Bristol

And all their efforts have paid off as Phil and Sarah are travelling to Bristol today to be reunited with their beloved pet after a phonecall yesterday from the dog warden who was able to contact them because Bella is chipped.

Speaking en route to Bristol, Sarah said: “She has been found in Bristol, I am rather emotional.

“Late yesterday afternoon I got a phonecall from Bristol’s dog warden to say they had picked her up on the street.

“She’s slightly underweight, has got matted hair and a good few sores but hopefully nothing the vet can’t sort out.

Bella has been found in Bristol

“She went missing on the 10th and we are going to get her on the 10th, it seems really significant.

“I couldn’t stop crying last night and I hardly slept.

“We have both been granted the day off work to pick her up.

“It seems a bit surreal, but we have worked so hard to find her, it’s been non-stop.

“Social media has been fantastic.

“It has consumed us, but it has done the trick.”

Sarah and Phil can’t wait to be reunited with Bella and as well as giving her a big hug, they have dug out the Christmas present they bought for her in the hope she would have been home by December 25.

While it was the chip which meant the dog warden could locate Bella’s owners, Sarah and Phil said they cannot thank everyone enough for their efforts to help them appeal for her safe return.