A couple who are regular visitors to the island has hailed our fantastic community spirit after complete strangers spent four days in all weathers looking for their missing dog.

Jill and Anthony Belton, who have been visiting the Isle of Man for the last 45 years from their home in London, were amazed with the response when they lost their black and tan miniature pinscher Oakley on the moors above West Baldwin.

’We experienced something truly amazing,’ said Jill.

Oakley, who is only a foot tall and weighs in at 6kg (13lb), had been rehomed by the Beltons from Battersea Dogs’ Home about two years ago.

’We love him dearly. He looks like a tiny Doberman and has a huge character to match. Min Pins are alert, lively and wilful and so can be a handful. He likes his luxury and hates the cold and rain, a proper townie!’ said Jill.

The couple were up on the moors on the West Baldwin Road on the sunny afternoon of Saturday, August 5, and had stepped out of the car to admire the view when disaster struck.

Jill explained: ’We had Oakley on the lead but the next thing some sheep moved and he was sudddenly off, dragging his lead out of our hands. He was gone like a shot.’

The Beltons tried for several hours to find him and spotted him twice trying to catch up with the sheep still dragging the lead.

’The terrain up there is challenging to say the least with bogs, ravines and gullies,’ said Jill. We were beside ourselves with worry and didn’t know what to do next.’

But then the couple happened to meet Sharna Keig and her friends who swung into action when they told her what had happened - making contacts with others who could help with the search including some who had experience in finding lost dogs up on the moors.

Jill said: ’Oakley was lost for four dreadful days, three nights on the moors alone often in the cold and wet as the weather turned very bad at times as it often does up there.’

The couple postponed their trip back to London as they couldn’t bear the thought of leaving their little dog out there alone.

But Jill said: ’What amazed us over and over again was the number of people who turned out to help out of sheer good heartedness.

’There were nine cars I counted the first night, searching into the night. On Sunday there were more and on Monday and Tuesday people even came out after work or used holiday time or took a day off to help.

’All sorts of people, everyone we met up there, knew about Oakley and were helping to find him, working their way along fence lines, up and around the mountainsides, in the plantations and all over the moorland including down the ravines and gullies, often with their own fantastic dogs.

’We have never experienced anything like that community spirit, goodwill and friendship and we are incredibly grateful to all concerned. What a fabulous Manx community gathering round to help. Goodness only knows what we would have done without you.’

In the end, after days of stress, exhaustion and anxiety there was a happy outcome on Tuesday night at 8.15pm.

Jill said: ’It sounds corny but there was a beautiful evening rainbow and just at the end of it where it was shining down was where we found Oakley. It’s about a mile and a half from where he escaped us.

’He was still in his jacket and trailing his lead, tired and a bit itchy and smelly, but has been given a clean bill of health by the vet. We will never know where he was all that time but he’s a tough little chap and a very lucky one too.’

* Couple’s thank you to Manx community - see the Examiner’s letters page