Staffie who disappeared in Wakefield is found 75 miles away in Blackpool - seven years later

Red, who is now eight years old, was reunited with her owner Tracy Chapman, 42, on Friday with the help of local animal rescue group Homeward Bound.

The lucky pooch was reunited with her owner Tracy Chapman, 42, on Friday with the help of local animal rescue group Homeward Bound.

Tracy said: "Red was just a puppy when she went missing. We looked all over for her but we never found her. I think somebody took her in for themselves.

"She's certainly bigger. She looks brilliant. She's clearly been looked after. I never thought I would get her back. She's got a bit of a cheeky personality but she's got a great temperament and she's very lovable and very loving."

Red was reunited with Tracy after a Homeward Bound volunteer carried out a microchip scan which revealed she had been marked as missing.

Wendy Mulela, of Homeward Bound, said: "Sometimes it can be that a pet has been reported missing and the owner has got them back and just didn't think to take the marker off, so I just assumed that must have what happened in this situation, because it was reported so long ago.

"Within no time at all I had got somebody to go round and call at the address, and lo and behold she was still missing.

"The dog has been living somewhere and we're sure somebody will have got quite attached to her during that time. but I have worked with a lot of people who have had dogs go missing and I know the pain these families have gone through to get their dogs back. Some people have spent their life savings and travelled the length of the country to try and find their dog. So to have them reunited is wonderful."

Tracy said: "I'm absolutely over the moon. She has settled in really well and become part of the family again."