A KEEN runner was left devastated after his dog was stolen from outside a supermarket while he did his weekly shop.

Ian Tomlinson, 62, from Hove was helpless as his all white parsons russell was callously untied and taken from outside Tesco in Church Road on Friday night.

But he has since been found and the pair have been reunited. 

It's understood Alfie was found in Preston Park after Mr Tomlinson accompanied police to identify him as he was being walked by another man.

The heartbroken dog lover had spent the weekend scouring the city for his two-year-old pooch, and until Sunday did not have any luck.

Upon realising his best friend had been taken, Mr Tomlinson said: “My stomach just went, I felt physically sick and the shock was phenomenal.

“He's my soul mate, my companion and we're inseparable.

“He comes running with me, we do everything together.

“I'm trying all the rescue centres, vets, pet shops - everybody knows him and everyone recognises him from when I run along the seafront with him.

“I'm not sleeping, I'm not eating and I'm going to get ill. I just want him back.”

CCTV captured the moment a man wearing green and brown clothes and a baseball cap untying Alfie and after a short struggle making off through the car park towards Blatchington Road.

Alfie's picture has been shared more than 20,000 times on Facebook since Friday in a desperate attempt to reunite the pair.

Mr Tomlinson said he missed the moment Alfie was stolen by about 30 seconds, and added: “Other people tie their dogs outside and people are always passing by, so it's good for him to socialise.

“I tie him up really tightly and he's got his harness on, so there's no way he can wriggle out of there.

“I went inside to do my shopping, but I always make sure I keep an eye on him, he was just sat there looking around.

“I noticed a man standing around him, he looked quite scruffy, but I thought nothing of it.

“I could still hear Alfie whining a little, because that's what he does - he's a real one man dog and if I'm not around he can get a little anxious.

“The man was smoking, so I thought he was just stood there waiting for a mate or something.

“At about 6.30pm a friend of mine came into the shop and I later found out he saw Alfie outside and went up to him to say hello.

“I think this must've been what clinched the deal for him and that once he knew his name he was going to pinch him.

“I saw on the CCTV that the man tried to shove Alfie into his coat and that he was struggling a fair bit but he unhooked him and made off through the car park.”