A dog stolen in Croydon town centre was emotionally reunited with its owner eight weeks later after being found in Scotland.

Staffordshire bull terrier Moog was identified from her microchip and Steve Watts, 28, nearly crashed his car in shock when he was told that his best pal was safe and well, after giving up seeing her ever again.

The dog was stolen from outside a shop in South End on January 26, sparking a frantic search by Mr Watts, who put up posters around the town centre and persuaded homeless people to keep their eyes open for Moog.

“I was devastated because she was such a part of the family. I did feel that I wasn't going to get her back or ever see her again.

“But there was a glimmer of hope because she was microchipped.”

She was found in East Lothian and taken to Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home, where she was scanned and identified.

Mr Watts, a musician, told the Guardian: “I was driving over Waterloo Bridge and got a call. I heard a Scottish voice saying they had just scanned my dog.

“I was a raving mess and forgot to pull away at the traffic lights and everyone was beeping me.

“I went straight home and on to a train and picked her up the next morning.”

It took Moog, who was a little underweight, a couple of hours to get used to Mr Watts again, but when they got off the train at Croydon, she led him back to the front door.

Manager of Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home, David Ewing, said: “It's only because it was microchipped that we could return it. Mr Watts was over the moon to be reunited with the dog, who went ballistic.