Year's worth of free hairdressing for the girls who found Rupert the Chihuahua

Rupert was safely returned to his rightful owners just after lunchtime today, thanks to two teenage girls who handed him in.

The short coat, fawn and black, miniature Chihuahua was picked up last night by an unknown man outside of the Abington Street salon and was then taken in the direction of BBC Radio Northampton.

The incident happened last night at about 7.25pm after two salon staff clocked off and two-year-old Rupert escaped out of the front door behind them.

Northampton salon workers take time off work to hunt for Rupert the Chihuahua

After 18 hours of being without his rightful owner, Rupert was handed into a police station this morning in Campbell Square by two girls, who Daniel Granger has called 'heroes' on social media.

Talking to the Chronicle & Echo Daniel, the star of E4's Body Fixers, said he was over the moon to have Rupert back home.

He said: "What an effort by everybody. If you put yourself out there people just come together don't they?

"Everybody worked hard. We had celebrities sharing this.

Cheers all round for Daniel Granger and his partner Katie who have their dog back home. Picture taken at the police station with Rupert's founders before the dog was taken home.

"[The two girls] did not want to accept the reward but I put it in their pockets anyway. I'm going to treat them to a years free hairdressing too."

More than 20 staff and close friends handed out 2,000 leaflets printed this morning (Friday) after Mr Granger decided to shut the salon to search for Rupert.

Katie Lane, Daniel's girlfriend, added: "We are so happy and so thankful that he's back. I did not sleep all last night.

"All I kept thinking was where are they taking him?"

"As soon as it hit all of the media he turned up at the police station."