A dog saved from a life of misery in Romania became involved in another drama when she disappeared from a house in Sprowston – turning up miles away in a garden in Acle.

Florence was rescued by her owner, Patricia Wood, from Romania, but two months after bringing her into her Old Catton home, Mrs Woods thought she had lost Florence forever.

The 74-year-old had left her pet with a friend in Sprowston as she needed to go to London. But while staying with the friend, in Lone Barn Road, she escaped.

Mrs Wood, from Lodge Lane, Old Catton, said: 'They [the friends] jumped in their car and went around the crescent but she just disappeared. They drove everywhere they could think of but just couldn't find her.

'My friend phoned me and was sobbing and I said, 'look, she has lived on the streets of Romania'.'

The mother-of-two phoned Norwich City Council's dog wardens who spotted her that day – April 26 – in Heartsease. But despite their best efforts they could not catch her.

Her son then put an appeal out on website www.DogLost.co.uk and someone saw the appeal said they had seen her on Plumstead Road.

Another friend said they had seen Florence on Laundry Lane, off Blue Boar Lane, Sprowston.

Mrs Wood said: 'I sent some friends off from Sprowston and they all went looking for her but couldn't find anything until the next morning. I have so many friends around the whole of Norfolk and they were all out there looking for her.

'I was so worried and I couldn't do a thing from London.'

But after a night of worry, the retired Jarrold's worker received the call she had been hoping for the next morning when Florence was found exhausted but alive in an Acle garden.

The most direct route from Sprowston to Acle is just over 12 miles, but Florence would have travelled much further than this because of the route she is thought to have taken. An organisation called German Shepherd Rescue based in Tuckswood then drove to Acle to collect Florence and bring her back home.

'It is a really happy ending,' Mrs Wood said. 'The camaraderie of all, by phone, text, people who care for animals came into their own. They were all so happy to be of help at no charge.'

And Florence's rehabilitation in England after being rescued is continuing.

Mrs Wood got Florence from a Norfolk charity called Safe Rescue.