Two missing dogs found under trees using drone

Two dogs that were missing for about six hours have been found under trees within minutes once a drone was used.

John Watton, a volunteer drone operator from Redditch, Worcestershire, who helps locate lost dogs in the area, was contacted by the cocker spaniels' owner on Sunday afternoon.

Within 15 minutes, the drone found them hiding away together by trees near Inkberrow.

Mr Watton, who has been part of Drone SAR (search and rescue) For Lost Dogs UK, does searches independently as a hobby and bought a thermal drone for about £5,000 last year.

Given the reactions of the owner when their pets were found he said "it's worth every penny".

On Sunday he said he picked up two heat signatures and it was "one of the easiest searches I've ever done".

'Different scenarios'

Mr Watton stated the owner and her friend were with him and the drone operator showed them on the map and screen "exactly where they were".

"A thermal drone really helps a lot," he said.

"When I'm searching an area on my screen, I'm just looking for like little white patches on my screen."

The Redditch resident added that when he searched with a drone and did not find a dog "then it eliminates that area so the ground searches can go and look in different areas".

He said: "Every single dog is a bit different, so its location, the temperament, how did he go missing? All these different scenarios... go through my head - amazing."