A FERRET which escaped from home has been reunited with his owner thanks to an appeal in The Northern Echo.

Last week, Frankie appeared in the Echo after he was taken in by the National Animal Sanctuary Support League, in Sadberge, near Darlington.

He was spotted by a Newton Aycliffe resident and handed to the sanctuary, which appealed for anyone who recognised him to come forward.

Pauline Wilson, of the sanctuary, said yesterday the ferret's owner had responded to the article.

"We'd named him Frankie and apparently his real name was actually Fergus, so we weren't too far out," she said.

"His owner is from Newton Aycliffe, saw him in the Echo and contacted us.