This is the moment a Sutton couple were reunited with their stolen husky puppy after an agonising seven months apart.

Lara Ballard, 22, and Will Stevenson, 26, of North Cheam and West Sutton, respectively, were reunited with Cody after he was taken from Hendham Road, Tooting, in January.

Lewisham Dog Wardens arranged the emotional reunion on Tuesday, August 18, after a woman spotted Cody wandering the streets. The wardens believe the year-old pup escaped on his own initiative.

In the video an ecstatic Cody can barely contain himself as he is brought into the room where Miss Ballard and Mr Stevenson are waiting.

The couple think an opportunist saw blue-eyed Cody, who was only a puppy, in the back of Mr Stevenson's van and took him.

The cruel-hearted thief also stole the acceleration pedal from the van.

Miss Ballard, who works in Kingston as a beautician, said: "When he went missing me and Will went up and down Tooting High Street until I was satisfied.

"I was a bit of a diva about it, a 'What I say goes' kind of thing, but I had to make sure we did everything we could that day."

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Puppy dog eyes: a young Cody

After his disappearance she posted photos of Cody on Facebook in the hope that he would be found, but lost hope a few months later.

Miss Ballard said: "About five months in it started to really get to me.

"Before then I was constantly on Facebook and social media posting things to try and find him."

"And a few weeks ago I put up a final post about Cody and let everyone know that I was grateful for their help, but that enough was enough.

"I thought, 'If it was meant to be, it was meant to be.'"

But then a call came in.

She said: "We got a missed call from the dog wardens, but we thought it was a job for Will.

"It was only when people started messaging me to get in touch with them that I realised it was about Cody."

"Facebook went crazy to the point where it crashed my phone with people telling me that I had to get in touch with Lewisham Dog Wardens.

"I'm just so happy he's back."

Since he was taken Cody has doubled in size and is thin in comparison to other husky dogs that are about a year old.

Miss Ballard added: "He's with us now and we will be able to put that all behind us.

"I'm just so happy he's back."