Dog stolen from Norfolk farm is reunited with owners

Patch was sitting in the back of a pick-up truck when it was taken from Dann's Farm in North Tuddenham, between Dereham and Norwich, on Friday (November 18) evening. 

As farm owner Simon Dann finished packing away eggs in his chicken sheds and returned to his vehicle, he discovered the white Isuzu - and Patch - had vanished. 

Simon Dann's white Isuzu pick-up truck was stolen from Dann's Farm in North Tuddenham - with his dog inside (Image: Simon Dann)

The farm immediately launched an appeal for sightings via its Facebook page, which garnered almost 400 shares.

And, miraculously, just a few hours later, Patch had been found and handed into a vet in Horsford, north of Norwich. 

Mr Dann said the truck had later been recovered in Costessey. 

"It just goes to show the good that social media can do," he said. 

Explaining how his truck came to be stolen, Mr Dann added: "At about 6pm I went down to pack eggs away. The truck was in the yard outside the chicken house with the tailgate open and Patch in the back. 

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"I finished packing the eggs and thought 'hello, where has my truck gone?' I wondered whether someone had been watching me because I was only a few feet away. 

"I didn't care a toss about the truck, but the dog means a lot to me. He is born and bred and he is one of the best gun dogs we have ever had."

Soon after raising the alarm, Mr Dann received a report that the truck - plastered with the distinctive Dann's logo on the side - had been seen on the A47. 

Then came information that a spaniel resembling Patch had been found on a road in Horsford, before being handed into the local vets. 

Mr Dann's son, Alex, travelled to the practice and discovered it was indeed the family's beloved pet pooch. 

Simon Dann with his family dog, Patch, at the vets in Horsford, north of Norwich (Image: Simon Dann)

"I was over the moon," said Dann senior. 

"Apparently Patch went running into a house. The chap's son had lost his own dog a couple of weeks ago, so it was quite nice for him. 

"My son's biggest worry was that someone might set fire to the truck, not realising a dog was in the back. We would never have coped with that.

"He is doing absolutely fine. He's now back and had a good day shooting here on the farm yesterday."