A PET pooch proved its bark was worse than its bite for four bungling burglars who attempted to ransack a village post office
Ten-year-old border collie Millie's dogged determination alerted her owner Jane Partridge to trouble unfolding at Ladock Post Office in the early hours of Saturday morning. (April 16)
Miss Partridge, who lives opposite the post office, said: "I came downstairs to tell her to be quiet and went back to bed. She started barking and I thought I better look out of the window to see if it was a fox or something.
"As I opened the curtains I could see two men by the shop window, so I called 999."
The 53-year-old mum said she stayed on the line giving the police an account of the drama and officers arrived at about 3am to catch the men in the act.
Miss Partridge, who works as a carer, said she was very proud of "clever" Millie, adding: "If she hadn't woken me up I would not have heard them. Millie was a hero and I was making a lot of fuss of her that night.
"She is very protective of us as a family and will always let us know if someone has walked past the house.
"It's not often the police catch them in the act. The one that got in the shop couldn't get out. It was actually quite comical. I get really annoyed when people think they can take something from somebody else and don't have to earn it."
Tracy Mack, who has run the post office for more than three years, treated the family to Sunday lunch at the local pub and sent Millie a gift of dog treats to thank them.
She said: "It could have been so much worse if Millie hadn't woken up Jane. It's frustrating because running a post office this small you don't do it to make big bucks; you do it because you enjoy it. This is the second time in 12 months this has happened."
The last time £100 was stolen, the till was broken and a window smashed, but the offenders were never caught.
Several other dogs joined Millie to raise the alarm, including collie-golden retriever cross Charlie, who lives next door with his owner Pete Swan, 54.
The musician said he was woken up by Charlie, aged 18 months, but "I totally ignored him. I came downstairs, told him off and went back to bed. It wasn't until the next morning that I found out there had been a burglary.
"He does bark but not in the middle of the night. I should have known something was up."
Four men aged 17, 18, 20 and 26 were arrested in connection with the break-in and released on bail until June.