Dog stays by man’s body for 3 weeks

HUNTERS have found the body of a missing 70-year-old walker – with his pet dog still by his side after three weeks.

The man, André Blanchot from Narbonne in Aude, had not been seen since setting off with his dog Rocky to pick mushrooms.

His body was found, with Rocky curled up beside him, about 50km south of Narbonne in a Hautes Corbières vineyard just off a little used track.

The hunters had spotted Mr Blanchot’s car and found his body nearby. It is thought he had had a heart attack while he was changing a wheel on his car.

They thought the black cocker spaniel was also dead beside him and called the gendarmes who discovered that the dog was still alive.

It was very thin but police thought it had survived by drinking from puddles of water near the body.

Rocky is now being looked after by Mr Blanchot's niece, who had given him the dog.