Space Age technology came to the rescue when a car was stolen with a much-loved dog inside.

Thieves who drove off with Damien Cashinella's Subaru Impreza had no idea his Labrador retriever cross, Stan, was sitting in the back.

With the aid of satellite technology Mr Cashinella, 38, was able to track his car's every move and keep tabs on Stan.

The car was taken from a quiet country lane in Burstow, near Crawley, when Mr Cashinella got out briefly to look in a garage forecourt window.

His vehicle is fitted with a global positioning satellite tracking system, linked to a control room run by RAC Trackstar.

The system enabled control room staff to find the car when it was dumped three miles away. Mr Cashinella rushed to the scene, on the A22 near East Grinstead, with the police.

He found the car but rescue dog Stan was nowhere to be seen. A four-hour search proved fruitless.

He said: "If they had brought him back and kept the car, I would have been happy. I could buy a new car but I couldn't replace Stan."

Mr Cashinella left his home near Crawley at 6.30am the next day to continue searching and within a couple of hours found Stan near the Beaver Fisheries lakes north of East Grinstead on the Sussex-Surrey boundary.

Mr Cashinella said: "It was a huge relief to find Stan.

"I know that without RAC Trackstar, not only would my car have been difficult to find but I am sure I would have lost Stan forever."