A LOVEABLE mutt found his own way home after going missing during lockdown - but not before a village came together for a full-scale search.

Five-year-old Soul was missing for 24 hours on Saturday after running away from his owner Tracey Baker while out for a walk in Kempsey at around noon.

Fortunately, with the help of the Kempsey community – and a scented trail using mackerel – Soul made his own way home after 1am.

Soul had been saved from a life on the streets in Romania as a puppy, after being taken to a shelter in the city of Turda by rescuers from Amicii Dog Rescue, a UK charity run from offices in Main Road, Kempsey.

Tracey Baker, 49, from Kempsey, said: “He was totally shut down and terrified of humans. I physically had to drag him from his enclosure as he was so scared.

“Soul chewed through several leads. He hadn’t left the security of his pen for over three years

“After time, he learnt that it was a nice experience to get out and walk.”

However, after only living at Mrs Baker’s home for a week, Soul decided to disappear.

Mrs Baker added: “I was out walking with my other three dogs and he slipped his lead and went missing.”

READ MORE: Worcestershire animal shelter thanks community for support

Following an appeal on the Facebook group Spotted Kempsey, many people came out during late evening to search high and low, with some out past midnight.

One person even used a state-of-the-art thermal imaging device, which displays the image in temperature rather than ambient light, used by police and the fire service.

Following advice, Mrs Baker scented a trail from her house to the last place Soul was seen, with tinned mackerel.

Returning home just after 1am last Saturday and exhausted, Mrs Baker thought she would never see her dog again.

But then she heard a noise outside and went to the front door and moments later “in strolls Soul and he runs upstairs like nothing had happened", she said.