A DOG-lover was left distraught when thieves stole her car with her minature pet poodle inside.

Grandmother Frances Cronshaw had gone to the Clitheroe Auction Mart with her sister, Marine Nuttall, when the keys to her orange-coloured Suzuki Swift were stolen.

Frances, 64, who lives in Oswaldtwistle, and her sister, discovered the theft when they walked back to the car park.

She was left extremely anxious and upset when she discovered that her black poodle, four-year-old Harry, had been stolen along with her car.

Harry was later found abandoned and handed in to the RSPCA.

Frances said: "We both ran around the auction in the hope that they had left Harry and I just kept shouting for him to come over but he was nowhere to be seen.

"The theft of the car pales into insignificance next to Harry because he is my friend and I was having these horrible thoughts about him being mistreated.

"It would haunt me for the rest of my life if they hurt him in any way."

After reporting the theft to the police, Frances and her sister, headed back to their home and visited a number of kennels and dog refuges searching for Harry.

"It was an agonising wait and I didn't sleep the whole night- Harry is my companion and my friend and the thought of not seeing him again was terrifying." she said.

The next day Frances received a phonecall from staff at the Altham RSPCA centre telling her that Harry had been found.

She said: "He had been found by a little boy who took him around to a local lady who also owns poodles thinking it was hers and she handed him in.

"His collar and lead had been removed but he is fine and still as friendly as ever.

"It despicable that these people not only took my car but my lovely pet as well."

Police have launched an investigation into the theft of the car, registration PE09 KLC, which has not been discovered.

Detective Sergeant Nigel Watson said: "We are treating this theft extremely seriously and would appeal to anyone with information to come forward.

"Thankfully the dog has been reunited with its owner."

Anyone with information should call Clitheroe police on 01200 443 344 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.