A vulnerable couple who went missing have been found after a police dog tracked down their scent using a piece of bedding.
The husband and wife, both in their eighties and suffering from dementia, had not been seen for more than two hours when their disappearance was reported at around 11pm on July 16.
Authorities launched a major search effort across their home area in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, with every available police unit dispatched to help.
Police dog Rey, a German Shepherd, found a piece of bedding and was able to trace the scent into a field.
Officers then used a 4×4 to search the area, which was inaccessible to police cars.
At 12.30am, they spotted the couple in a ditch, where the woman had fallen and hurt her back.
The pair received emergency first aid until an ambulance arrived.
They were then taken to hospital and are expected to make a full recovery.
Inspector Reuben Palin, of Dyfed-Powys police, said: “This was a superb effort by all involved to find this elderly and vulnerable couple.
“The couple had not been seen for two hours, and we were searching in almost darkness from the start, making conditions difficult.
“The swift work of PD Rey allowed us to take the right direction in our search, and the capability of the rural team’s off-road vehicle was crucial in covering rural ground quickly.
“Without this asset, the outcome could have been very grave indeed.”
