A five-year-old Jack Russell who ran away after being attacked by an Alsatian has been reunited with her family.

Heidi Sanderson carried out a six-day search for Twiggy who ran away after being attacked on Shirley Hills.

Heidi Sanderson, 29, was walking Twiggy, who used to belong to her deceased father, and her other dog Spider when they came across two Alsatian dogs off their leads.

One of the animals had Twiggy by the throat when Heidi and her partner Alex came rushing to release her.

The Croydon Guardian ran an appeal after the terrified pet made off and for six days no one could find her.

She eventually turned up on the doorstep of a couple living near where she went missing.

Miss Sanderson, 29, said: “We had a call from a young couple on Shirley Church Road who found her shaking on the doorstep.

“They had seen the newspaper article and got my number off her collar.

“She was over the moon to see us. She has lost a whole stone in weight and was very dehydrated. We reckon she has been running around for six days straight. She does not seem to be hurt apart from a scar on her neck and one on her paw.”

Miss Sanderson, who is training to be a paramedic, said her other dog Spider was thrilled her playmate had returned.

“She would normally have gone mad to see Twiggy but she must have realised she had to be gentle. She just licked Twiggy from head to tail. They go everywhere together now and won’t leave eachother alone.

“I am just so thrilled she has come home.”

Twiggy used to belong to Miss Sanderson’s father, but he died in Ireland a year ago.