A DOG has been reunited with his owner following a six-week search after he disappeared on a camping trip in Kielder forest.

In a tale akin to Lassie Come Home or Disney’s Homeward Bound, Northumberland County Council’s animal welfare team helped reunite rescue dog Arnie with his owner, Chris Walker, from Blyth, after he went missing on August 18.

After sightings of the dog were reported in the 150,000-acre woodland on September 21, volunteers in the area organised a feeding station for Arnie and contacted animal welfare staff who arranged for a humane dog trap to be placed near the feeding station.

Dedicated animal welfare officers Malcolm Barrass and Neil Armstrong safely caught Arnie on September 26, six weeks after he first went missing.

Angela Frost, activity centre manager at Scout Adventures Hawkhirst said: “Arnie was first spotted wandering around the Scout camp in mid-September.

“He was hungry and looked frail, but we were unable to catch him.

“We started to put food out for him and went on a few searches around the forest trying to find him, but he kept running away.

“He was reunited with his owner after an appeal through Facebook.

“We’re all over the moon that Arnie and Chris have been reunited. Arnie’s had quite an adventure around the activity centre these past few weeks and we hope he makes a swift recovery.”

Following his six-week ordeal, Arnie is currently receiving treatment at St Clair Veterinary Care in Blyth and is slowly regaining his lost weight.

Coun. Glen Sanderson, cabinet member for environment and local services at Northumberland County Council, said: “This is a wonderful success story and an excellent example of the work our animal welfare team carry out across Northumberland.

“To reunite a family pet that has been missing for this length of time with its owners is simply wonderful.”