GUNDOGS stolen from their home near Colchester have been reunited with their owners.

Ruby and Skye were taken from kennels at Holten St Mary, near East Bergholt on Easter Sunday by thieves, who forced a lock with a screwdriver.

Owner Sarah Pearce mounted a press and social media campaign in an effort to make the dogs impossible to sell on – and it appears to have worked.

Ruby, a black cocker spaniel and Skye, a white English springer spaniel, are now back home, after Ms Pearce received an anonymous call after more than 25,000 people saw her social media posts.

She said: “They got in touch and said they had the dogs.

“We arranged to meet them.

It was all a bit cloak and dagger. We have no idea where they have been but they are fine.

“The dogs have certainly been fed, but we think they have been locked up since being taken, because they were quite withdrawn when they were first back.”

Ms Pearce thanked everyone who had contacted her and offered support.