A DOG lover has spoken of his relief after he retrieved springer spaniel Lady from his vehicle seconds before carjackers drove away with it.

Chartered accountant Martin Hardman (pictured with Lady), of Longsight Road, Holcombe Brook, was returning from an evening out with a friend when he was approached by three hooded men on the driveway of his home.

One appeared to be holding a spanner and demanded that Mr Hardman hand over the keys to his £21,000 silver Subaru.

Six-year-old Lady, who Mr Hardman has had since she was a pup, was still in a dog crate at the rear of the vehicle as thieves struggled with the car alarm and steering lock.

But Mr Hardman (58) and a friend managed to free the dog before the thieves drove away and jettisoned the dog crate onto the road .

He said: "If they had her in the car and realised they didn't want her, they could well have chucked her out on the motorway.

"With all the shouting that I was doing I think that she was a bit scared, but not too shaken afterwards.

"Fortunately I am fairly resilient and hope that it hasn't affected me too much."