A CHRISTMAS nightmare turned into a festive story of help and kindness after Rosie the Labrador disappeared from the canal tow path in Devizes.

Her owners Jim and Sylvie Lloyd were left distraught and unable to sleep for 28 hours after nine-year-old Rosie disappeared while on a Christmas evening walk with Jim.

But thanks to an eagle eyed security man, help from police and the power of social media Rosie returned from her ordeal, which included being knocked by a car, not too much the worse for wear.

Mr Lloyd, 73, who is a former teacher at Downlands School, Devizes, and who also ran Semington Post Office said: “We want to thank the people of Devizes who gave us so much support after our Labrador, Rosie, went missing on Christmas night for 28 hours. We were overwhelmed by the response.”

The couple, who lived in Devizes for many years, were back visiting their sons David and Bryn and their families from their home in Wales. On Christmas evening they returned to the Travel Lodge in London Road about 7pm.

Mr Lloyd took Rosie for a quick walk on the nearby canal tow path. He said: “I let her off the lead as she likes to smell every blade of grass. When I looked behind me she had disappeared.

“I called and called but she didn’t come. I went back to the hotel and someone had seen her. I was then told she had been hit by a car near Jewsons and had bolted.”

Mr Lloyd alerted the police and a member of the control room staff put a message on Facebook which soon gained a huge number of views and comments.

Dog experts advised Mr Lloyd to leave food and clothes smelling of him next to his car at the Travel Lodge as this was likely to attract Rosie.

He and his wife were heartened to see some of the food was eaten but there was still no sign of Rosie. Their problem was made worse as they had no phone signal and felt cut off.

Eventually a security guard spotted Rosie in a yard on the Garden Trading Estate just before midnight on Boxing Day and told the police. Officers found Rosie hidden away and managed to rescue her at reunited her with her owners at about 2am.

A trip to the vet’s confirmed Rosie had not been badly hurt in the accident and she is now back home with Mr and Mrs Lloyd in Pembrokeshire.