TWO missing puppies are back home safe and sound – thanks to a keen-sighted motorist and a stroke of luck.The pair of ten-week old Jack Russell puppies, Coco and Lucie, who had gone missing from their home in Little Blakenham, have been found.

TWO missing puppies are back home safe and sound – thanks to a keen-sighted motorist and a stroke of luck.

The pair of ten-week old Jack Russell puppies, Coco and Lucie, who had gone missing from their home in Little Blakenham, have been found.

Owners Claire Sharp, 32, Darren Brick, 42, and their two children, Lucie, 11, and Harrison, 7, were left distraught after the puppies – who had been with them for only four weeks - disappeared from their garden.

But luckily the puppies were found only an hour later by motorist Pete Ryland, 49, from Princes Gardens, Somersham, who was driving into Ipswich that same evening on April 5.

Mr Ryland said: "I was driving into town to pick up a takeaway. When I was between Leather Bottle Hill and The Beeches I suddenly saw what I thought were two rabbits on the road. I screeched to a halt and just missed them. I picked them up and realised they were a couple of Jack Russells.

"There are so many foxes in that area and cars go down that stretch of road very fast. The puppies were lucky to be found."

Mr Ryland put a notice into the Somersham village shop and the local garage – but no-one responded. He then contacted the police who gave him the telephone number of owners Claire Sharp, 32, and Darren Brick, 42, of Little Blakenham.

But Mr Ryland was unable to inform the family who were on holiday until the grandparents' number appeared in the Evening Star.

Mr Ryland does not want the £250 reward that was offered – and would rather the family donate the money to charity.

He said: "I don't want the reward – but I wouldn't mind if they were to sponsor my wife, Heather, who is doing a 10 kilometre run for cancer research in the summer."