Dog lovers Donald and Thelma Jones came back from their holiday in Greece with a little more than a bottle of retsina and a fisherman's cap ... an 11-stone Newfoundland dog!

The couple, from Oakworth, Keighley, fell in love with gentle giant Humphrey when they were on holiday on the Greek island of Skiathos.

They carried out a rescue mission to bring Humphrey, a Newfoundland, back to the UK, along with 12 other dogs adopted by other British couples.

Now, after six months in quarantine and two months waiting for paperwork, he has begun a new life in West Yorkshire.

Mr Jones, a builder, went on a 3,600- mile round trip to fetch Humphrey.

The couple spent more than £500 on the eight-day rescue mission that involved a van drive across Europe and a ferry trip out to the Greek island.

Mrs Jones flew out to join her husband and help with the arrangements.

The couple and their son Robert, 18, first met Humphrey when they spent time walking the dogs at a Greek animal shelter while on holiday last year.

Mr Jones said the family fell in love with him and became determined to bring him home.

"It has taken about eight months for him to do his quarantine and to get all his papers and passport, but now he is here with us in Yorkshire and loving every minute," he said.

"My journey to Skiathos and back involved two vans and three other people. We were helping Greek Animal Rescue and in total we brought 13 dogs back to England that had been adopted over the last 12 months.

"It involved a journey of 3,600 miles, with four to five days travelling each way."

Mrs Jones told how Humphrey literally stood out from the crowd at the animal shelter run by three English women.

"He was in a very big pen, normally there would have been up to ten dogs in there, but he had it to himself," she said.

"I was told he was completely soft. I was a bit sceptical at first because of his size but the staff put their arms round him to show me how gentle he was."

Robert wanted to adopt Humphrey but he had a place at university. Mr Jones then revealed that he too had fallen in love with the huge dog and plans were hatched to bring him back to the UK.

Humphrey, believed to be aged about three, has caused a sensation in Oakworth. The couple's neighbours joined a champagne reception to mark his arrival and locals are always commenting on his size.

"Many people ask to stroke him. He is lovely to walk, he never pulls, he just plods along," said Mrs Jones.