A couple have been reunited with their dog - seven years after she went missing.

Wioleta Owczarek, 37, says her two dogs disappeared in 2018 after the person she had paid to look after the pets vanished.

After being moved into temporary accommodation, the owner had to leave her Jackadoodle Lola and Parsons Jack Russell Maya with a pet sitter in Aylesford, Kent.

Wioleta and her boyfriend Mateusz Walkiewicz say they had visited their dogs every few weeks, until one day they disappeared into thin air.

She said: "We found someone who was advertising themselves as a dog sitter and we visited every few weeks. However, two-and-a-half months later the dogs were gone. We put up posters everywhere, but they were nowhere to be found.

"We never gave up. There wasn't a single day that went by where we didn't remind ourselves of Maya and Lola."

Last week, the couple finally received the call they had been waiting seven years for when Lola was seen on the streets of Swanley and her microchip was scanned.

The owners had since moved from London to Leeds but, having never lost hope, had updated their address on the chip and were contacted straight away.

And on Friday, 21 February, Sevenoaks District Council's Animal Welfare Team finally reunited the pair with their beloved pet.

Recalling the moment they got the call, Wioleta said: "I was shocked and lost for words. I started crying immediately. We just couldn't believe it.

"I always knew they were going to be found. We never lost hope.

"It was an amazing reunion. It took her about 60 seconds to realise that it was me then she leapt into my arms. She was so excited."

Lola, who was only a puppy when she disappeared, had badly matted fur and a severe skin condition upon her return.

Wioleta believes that her pet was used for breeding, saying that a vet has since confirmed her suspicions.

She added that Lola was in "horrible condition" and "stank like sewage" but has since been given a steroid shampoo to help with her skin.

The owners are still searching for their other pet, Maya, who is nowhere to be seen.

Cabinet Member for Cleaner and Greener, Cllr Irene Roy, said: "It's heartbreaking to lose a pet but Wioleta never gave up hope of finding her furry friends.

"Thanks to the amazing work of our Animal Welfare Team, we were able to make sure Lola was reunited with her family.

"This story shows how effective microchipping your animal is and how important it is to keep your dog's chip details up-to-date."