A PENSIONER has been reunited with his pet dog and six of its seven new-born puppies after they were stolen from his garden last week. The eight-week-old Staffordshire bull terrier puppies and their mother were taken from John Ashley s home in London Coln

A PENSIONER has been reunited with his pet dog and six of its seven new-born puppies after they were stolen from his garden last week.

The eight-week-old Staffordshire bull terrier puppies and their mother were taken from John Ashley's home in London Colney High Street at some point between 6pm last Wednesday and 7am the following day.

But police found all but one of the missing dogs on Tuesday at a location in Roydon, Essex, where they arrested two men, aged 23 and 25, in connection with the incident. They have now been released on bail until February 21.

John, aged 72, who was distraught when he realised his dog, called Fizz, and her puppies were missing, said: "I went to feed them and Fizz wasn't there. I thought that was funny and figured she must have got out. But then I went to the puppies and they weren't there either. I didn't hear them bark or anything."

He thinks the thieves broke through a fence and took the puppies, who were due to be sold, from their pen in the back garden and Fizz from her kennel.

John also suspects the culprits may have been getting Fizz familiar with them the day before the theft because he noticed that his gate was broken.

Fizz, aged two, is John's first dog and she has been with him for around 16 months since he took her in from a rescue centre.

Although the puppies are fine, John said Fizz seemed quite shaken up by the incident but he hoped she would be back to normal in a week or so.

The puppies are now being kept at a friend's house until they are found homes because John is scared that the thieves might return.

He is still hoping that the remaining puppy will be found.

The police are asking anyone with information to call them on 0845 3300 222 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.