THE owner of nine puppies who were stolen from a house still hopes she will get the remaining seven back after she was reunited with two of them.

Corrie Mullaney was left devastated after thieves smashed a window and broke into her house in Shadsworth in the early hours of March 3 and stole the then three-week-old Staffordshire Bull terrier pups.

The 21-year-old who works at Studio Express Gifts in Accrington, has spoken about her relief when officers contacted her last week to say that two of the puppies had been found.

She said: "I have got good hopes that I will be able to get them back.

"It was Pendle Police who did it and they were so good even when they waited for me to get back from work.

"I was so happy to see them again and I hope to get the rest back."

Corrie added the moment she saw the two pups her heartache lifted. She said: "Since the pups were stolen I have not been well myself as I was worrying about them.

"When the police rang me up I got such a shock and could not believe it.

"It was not until 10pm when I thought it was true.

"When they were stolen I did not know if they were being looked after or being fed but when they got back they looked alright. It made me more confidence they were being cared for.

"I would like to see the other ones back but was relieved to see these two as they were healthy.

"The sandy-coloured pup is scared and shivering when it meets people at the minute but hopefully he will be okay.

"We have had to keep the pups away from their mum and dad as the mum rejected them. It is sad that what has happened may have affected them."

Corrie says the power of Facebook had played a role in the return of the pups.

She said: "The police officer who stopped the van with the pups in it had seen the post on Facebook so he was able to say it was ours.

"It was shared as far away as Scotland but is shows how people have helped to get the message that they were stolen out there."

Last Thursday, the Lancashire Telegraph reported how two people had been arrested and the two puppies were returned after they had been found in a car police had pulled over on Bank Street in Brierfield.

A police spokesman said: “Searching were carried out when the men were arrested but they have released under investigation and have not been charged.

"Investigation are still ongoing into the incident. If anyone has information contact 101 and use the log number 113 of March 3 or alternatively call the independent charity crime stoppers anonymously.”