LASS, a whippet nicknamed the Pocket Rocket, was safely back in the bosom of its family yesterday after a criss-cross county adventure.

The five-year-old was feeding four newly-born pups for the first time in days after going missing from a stable on a country estate nestling in Hamsterley Forest, County Durham.

Lass's owner, gamekeeper Derek Butler, said all five were "doing very nicely".

It was last Sunday last week that the nightmare started for Mr Butler. In the morning, Lass was contentedly feeding the new pups. But when he returned to the stable in the afternoon, the dog had vanished.

It is thought the wandering whippet may have jumped through a window in pursuit of a cat.

Mr Butler and friends spent the rest of the day in a fruitless search of lanes and farms in and around Hamsterley Forest. More friends stepped in to bottle-feed the four hungry pups.

But Lass was picked up by a motorist who spotted the animal wandering around Hamsterley village later in the day.

The following day, the motorist took Lass to Darlington police station.

Officers handed Lass to Darlington Borough Council's dog warden service, which transported her to Deerness Kennels, at Langley Moor, near Durham City.

On Thursday, kennel maid Philipa Jefferies, 23, spotted an advertisement in The Northern Echo's lost and found column, placed by Mr Butler.

"We are over the moon that she's now back home with her pups," said Philipa.

Mr Butler was full of praise for the care given to Lass.

"She's a very special little bitch. She became known as the Pocket Rocket as she was the fastest thing around here for years chasing rabbits," he said.