DURING the week between Christmas and the New Year, I lost my best friend -- my dog, Max, an 11-year-old red chow.

You ran an article about him being lost and followed it up when he was found and later died of a heart attack.

I would like to thank you for the caring way you handled the story, before and after he died.

I would also like to thank all the people who phoned, wrote letters, sent cards and flowers, mostly from people I may never meet, at a time when I didn't think it was possible to hurt so much.

Everything was very much appreciated.

I didn't think people could care for someone they didn't know and it has made me realise how caring and thoughtful people can be.

LYNNE SEDGWICK, Beardwood Brow, Blackburn.