Ninety-one-year-old Josie Newman, who underwent a terrifying ordeal at the hands of a burglar, has been cheered up by the nation’s favourite dog trick act Ashleigh Butler and Pudsey.

Widow Mrs Newman is still recovering after being confronted by an intruder who broke into her Malmesbury home in December.

Her arm was injured when she was thrown from her chair by the burglar but she managed to call for help by pressing an alarm button as he made off with money, bankcards and jewellery.

Mrs Newman, a Malmesbury resident for 26 years, says she lost everything in the burglary.

After reading about her traumatic experience, the 2012 winner of Britain’s Got Talent Ms Butler sent her signed and paw-printed photographs of herself and her talented hound.

Mrs Newman, a big fan of the double act, said: “I want to say thank you very much – I’m thrilled with them and will definitely frame them. They’ll be something to talk about when my friends come over.”

Mrs Newman said she has loved dogs all her life and had three of her own before her husband died.

She also thanked the Malmesbury charity HEALS – which assists elderly and vulnerable people – and her landlords GreenSquare for helping after the burglary.

GreenSquare put up a new fence around her home and installed an alarm to tell her when people come in and out and when the door is closed. HEALS laid on a Christmas lunch for Mrs Newman a few days after the burglary.

Anyone with information on the intruder is asked to call DC Rich Jones via 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.