A FAMILY which lost their dog in a burglary were so overjoyed at being reunited with their pet that they forgot to hand over the reward money to the people that found it.

The couple, who do not want to be identified, were horrified when they discovered that their home in Roydon had been broken into on Saturday (April 17).

Thieves stole a Hayter cylindrical lawn mower worth £800 in the raid, which happened sometime between 1pm and 3.15pm.

But the family's three-year-old King Charles Spaniel also went missing, prompting his quick-thinking owners to plaster posters across the village offering a reward for any information.

To their astonishment they received a call within hours from another family who said they found a dog matching their pet's description in a nearby pub.

The couple arranged to meet the family outside a nearby newsagents and were duly reunited with their beloved pet - but were so excited to see him again that they forgot to hand over the reward.

They only realised their mistake when they returned home - and they do not have any contact details for the people that found it to get in touch.

Anyone with information about the burglary is urged to call Essex Police on 0300 333 4444.