A FAMILY has been reunited with two Shetland ponies that vanished from their paddock last week.

It was feared that the ponies, Pandora and Primrose, may have been stolen from Annabel Burchnall, of Gayles, near Richmond.

But after appeals for information, police received calls of sightings and the ponies were found in a wood near Hartforth, three or four miles from home, at about 10pm on Friday.

"They were absolutely fine," said Mrs Burchnall, "although I had to walk them all the way home with the police following me."

Their safe return came as a relief to Mrs Burchnall's children Ella, five, and William, three.