A dog lover has been reunited with his brand-new puppy after she bolted and vanished immediately after arriving at her new home.

Two-and-a-half year old blue whippet Mae escaped out of the car boot straight after they pulled up at the home of new owner Brian Woodburn.

He had only picked her up that morning from South Wales.

Mr Woodburn, who lives near New Yatt Road in Witney, said: “As soon as we got her to the drive she was off in a second. I was devastated, and a bit traumatized. We had only had her two-and-a-half hours and we lost her.

“She still had her red coat and her lead on.

“She is extremely nervous and she had no idea of the area as she’d only just got here and had never been walked in this area. Plus last night it was minus 4. She must have been terrified.”

Mr Woodburn immediately appealed for help on social media, a post which was shared on Witney Spotted Facebook page nearly 500 times.

He said: “The response was overwhelming. Lots of dog walkers said they would look out for her and the local vets and the dog warden.”

Mr Woodburn previously owned two rescue dogs aged 15 and 16 but lost them two months ago.

“We weren’t going to get a dog but we relented because we missed having one,” he said.

Luckily Mae’s little adventure in the Oxfordshire countryside has a happy ending with her found safe and well.

A kind-hearted group of lady dog-lovers who went out searching found her just off Crawley Road and she was reunited with her new owner by lunchtime on Thursday.

Mr Woodburn said he is extremely relieved and appreciates everyone's help in searching for her.

“She’s in remarkably good condition, considering she’s been out in the freezing cold all night. The ladies recognized her red coat and the fact she still had her lead on and they managed to corner her in a cul-de-sac.

“We’re delighted and so grateful. I would just like to say that the response from the local community was amazing.

“I can’t thank so many people enough for being so helpful and concerned. We had loads of people out looking for her.

“It’s times like this we realise what a great community we have.”

It comes as another appeal has been posted on the same Witney Spotted Facebook site, asking for help to find a beloved female black Labrador who has been missing from her home in Burford since New Year’s Eve.

The older adult dog is described as timid and the owner asks people to check hedgerows, sheds and outhouses where she may be hiding.