A dog stolen from its house has been returned after a video of Wednesday’s theft was widely publicised.

Twiglet, a dachshund, was snatched by a thief who smashed a patio door at a house in Essex.

Police released footage of the dog struggling to get away from the thief, who was believed to have sold her on.

Owner Jo Vindis said it was their “worst nightmare” when she was stolen but they were “elated” to be reunited with Twiglet on Thursday.

“Without the video we probably would never have seen her again”.

“Well, we do love our dogs, don’t we? I think it just resonated with everyone with a dog, or even without, just how someone from your family – just snatched out of your home – it’s just horrible,” she said.

The break-in happened at the owner’s house in the hamlet of Catmere End near Saffron Walden at about 15:00 BST.

“Our neighbours were round the house within a few minutes of the alarm going off, but he’d already taken her at that point,” said Ms Vindis.

“It looks as though that’s what he was after. Nothing else was taken.”

Posting on a lost-and-found dogs Facebook group, the owners wrote: “We can’t thank everyone enough for all of the posts and reposts and noise that has meant that she most likely did become ‘too hot to handle’.

“We are blown away by how amazing people have been and want to thank you all so, so much.”

Ms Vindis told BBC Essex that after the theft the couple had been “trying to stay positive and hopeful”, but she said in the back of her mind she did not think they would get Twiglet back.

The 16-month-old pet was returned after “a tip-off that came thanks to all of the coverage”.

“Someone contacted us and said they thought the dog they had bought was Twiglet, and that’s sort of as much as we know, but the investigations are ongoing so we’re hopeful that the person who took her will be caught,” she said.

She said the couple felt “elation” at getting their dog back, but also “disbelief that it happened at all – obviously we haven’t let her out of our sight”.

“Twiglet seems her normal self, but she was quite shaken last night – she doesn’t seem too traumatised by it all,” she added.

Essex Police said inquiries remained ongoing and no arrests had been made at this stage.

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