A COUPLE who feared their dog would go blind after she was stolen without her medication have found their pet - thanks to a Good Samaritan.

And owners Vince and Lisa Gregg said that without the help of the Lancashire Evening Telegraph, they may never have been reunited with Newey, their Jack Russell.

Vince, 34, made a desperate appeal last week and offered a £1,000 reward for the return of th dog after she was stolen from his van on Sainsbury's car park, in Darwen.

She has eye problems and Vince warned that if she did not get her medication she would lose her sight.

Ten days after a thorough search of the town, Vince received a phone call from an Accrington man who said he had the dog, who was still well.

Vince, a window cleaner, from Windermere, said: "We had lots of hoax calls from people wanting the reward .

"Then a man called William Varey, from Accrington, rang to say he had seen the story in the newspaper and he had her. After he proved it by e-mailing us photographs of her, I raced over there.

"We believe Newey was stolen from the van and then a day later someone, who Mr Varey believed was a traveller, sold Newey to him.

"He said he paid £50 because when he saw Newey with her cloudy eye he felt sorry for her and wanted to give her a good home.

"He is an elderly, disabled man with dogs of his own.

"He is an animal lover so as soon as he saw the story he got in touch. He wouldn't accept the £1,000 reward and I had to twist his arm to take £100.

"I want to thank everyone in Darwen who helped us, particularly Sprint printers and Sainsburys.

"My family were overwhelmed to get Newey back and we opened a £30 bottle of champagne to celebrate her return.

"It was a horrible story with a happy ending."