A savvy dog, lost in a park, managed to navigate her way to a familiar town centre bus stop and get on the right bus to find her own way home.
Julie Jones, who lives in Stevenage, was looking after her daughter's dog, Pepper, when the drama unfolded.
"Pepper had stayed with us overnight," Julie explained. "She often does, so she's used to being with us.
"My husband and I walk our three dogs to Fairlands Valley Park in the early mornings. This particular morning, Pepper came with us and saw some geese take flight in the distance. Suddenly, she was gone and I couldn't see any sign of her. The weather was atrocious, which didn't help."
Despite frantically searching, and even sending her own dogs to look for her, they failed to find Pepper, who is almost three years old.
The clever border collie, lost in the park, managed to find her way to the bus station in Stevenage town centre and get on the right bus to take her home.
Julie, who has owned dogs for more than 40 years, said: "All we can think is that she followed the flock of geese, probably panicked when she realised she was lost, and took herself to the bus station.
"My daughter, Charlotte, also lives in Stevenage and Pepper is used to getting the bus with her. Pepper had made her way to the bus station, gone to the bus stop where we usually catch the bus and got onto the bus we always get with her - the number seven - which had its doors open.
"The bus driver asked if it was anyone's dog and one of the passengers recognised her. On Pepper's collar, it's got her name and my daughter's phone number, so the lady called Charlotte.
"The driver said Pepper could stay on the bus and me, my husband, Charlotte and her partner, Saffron, all met her at the bus stop near Charlotte's home, where we were all reunited.
"She was a little bit subdued after her adventure."
Julie, who is a dog trainer and runs Knebworth Dog Training Club, is amazed at Pepper's intelligence. "She's a rescue dog - a failed sheepdog, it seems - but she's so intelligent. She comes to training with me and picks things up so quickly.
"We're hoping she'll compete in competitions soon."
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