LITTLE Archie Richards and his family are overjoyed after being reunited with their beloved lurcher puppy – eight weeks after she was stolen.

Thieves trespassed into the Richards’s home near Dorchester and snatched Bradie from her outdoor kennel just before Christmas.

The crime left five-year-old Archie – who has Down’s Syndrome and was relying on Bradie to help boost his confidence – particularly devastated.

But now the Richards have got 24-week-old Bradie back where she belongs thanks to an anonymous tip-off to Dorset Police.

And delighted dad Peter Richards says the family want to thank everyone – including Dorset Echo readers – for their support during the ordeal.

He said: “Bradie is in good health and she is very pleased to be home. We are absolutely thrilled to have her back.”

Light brindle-coloured Bradie was taken in an overnight raid on their Melbury Bubb home on December 15.

The treasured puppy was a particularly close companion for Archie, playing a vital role in helping him develop his sign language and communicate more.

Mr Richards and his wife Gayle made a plea for Bradie’s return for the sake of Archie and his sisters Jess, nine, and Hetty, seven.

They offered a £100 reward for information and a special Facebook page was set up to try and trace her.

The family were beginning to lose hope when a member of the public contacted Dorset Police with the dog’s whereabouts.

Officers attended another address in Melbury Bubb, located the stolen puppy and reunited her with her owners.

Mr Richards said: “She had been gone eight weeks when we had an anonymous tip-off, and Dorset Police were able to retrieve her. She’s settled back into family life brilliantly. Archie is delighted to have her home, and she has already started to respond to his signing again.”

Mr Richards issued a heartfelt thank-you to the Dorset Echo and its readers for helping in the hunt for Bradie.

He added: “We would love to thank Echo readers for all their support, including offers of replacement puppies.

“We were also given a huge amount of help and support by DogLost.co.uk, a free service run by volunteers dedicated to reuniting dogs with their owners.”

A Dorset Police spokesman said: “Following information received from a member of the public, we attended another address in Melbury Bubb.

“We located the dog there and she was returned to the owners by our officers.”