AN ADORED pet dog, who went missing in March 2014 during a walk at Carr Mill Dam, has been reunited with his Haresfinch family.

Buster, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, was returned to his owners - Paul and Caroline Twist, and their children Dylan, eight, and Cameron, six - yesterday (Thursday).

A lady spotted Buster wandering the streets of Croxteth, Liverpool, and alerted dog wardens who scanned his chip and found the family's details.

Caroline, 38, said they are all delighted and wish he could talk so he could tell them where he has been and what he has been doing.

She said: "We got a call on Wednesday night from the dog warden asking if we still have a missing dog, we said yes and they asked if we wanted him back!

"I couldn't get my head around it!

"He was found wandering around in Croxteth. Obviously, he must have been living with someone; he looks healthy and is three times the size he was now."

She added: "He went missing at Carr Mill Dam, at that time there was a spate of dogs going missing from the dam. It was March 2014, my husband was out with him for a walk and let him off the lead as usual. He always came back but this particular time, he never."

She said the family, who have got two more dogs in the meantime, spent the next few weeks and months looking for him, putting posters up and looking around all the local dog centres for him.

Caroline said: "We had him from being a pup - he's nearly 10 now.

"The boys are delighted, especially Cameron as he never gave up on him. Family and friends are made up for us."

She added: "We kept Buster's kennel just in case - so his home is still here!

"We've been to the dog groomers today - he must have been roaming the streets for a few days, he needed a little TLC! I wish he could talk and tell us where he's been!"

She also thanked the lady who spotted him for contacting the dog wardens, saying "without her actions, we wouldn't have him back. We are so grateful".