Rebekah Deery had appealed to the Derry public for help to find her puppy which was stolen from her back garden. The following day a schoolfriend learned of the dog's fate and her mother, Emma, was able to secure the dogs return.

Rebekah had been playing with her full bred, six month old Yorkshire Terrier, Charlie Chuck, in the backgarden of her Elaghmore Park home when she went inside for 15 minutes. When she returned her beloved Charlie Chuck was gone.

"I only went inside for a few minutes, there was no holes in the fence and the gate was shut so someone had to climb over the fence," she said.

Rebekah's mother, Emma, called the police who told her there had been a spate of dog thefts in the area recently.

"She was distraught since it happened, she only turned away for a few minutes, those who took the dog had to climb over a six foot fence to do so, she cried the whole night, it was an awful thing to do," said her mother.

"I'm just glad we got it back, it is a happy ending and we are delighted."

Emma said she went to the door of those she thought took the dog but was chased by their parents.

"That makes them guilty also," she said. "I gave them an opportunity to rectify the situation but they didn't take it."

The return of Charlie Chuck was, in the end, secured through a "third party".

The police confirmed that they are investigating the matter.