£500 to help find Indy the beagle believed to have been stolen from March

A desperate pet owner is offering a £500 reward after his dog disappeared from the garden of his March home on Friday evening.

Indiana, known as Indy, is a tri-coloured beagle, his owner Matt Gibson has made an urgent plea for help in finding his pet, who he described as very timid.

Initially it was thought Indy had managed to escape the garden, but after getting the area's dog warden, Shelley Munns involved, and volunteers putting up drones in a bid to spot the missing beagle the conclusion now is he has been taken.

Posting on Facebook Matt said: "I was hoping it wouldn't come to this, but after talks it's becoming more likely that Indy has been stolen. He has now been missing from his home in Deerfield Road, March for over 24 hours, and despite going missing in a large residential area next to a busy park, with loads of volunteers searching and drones in the sky looking for him, there has not been a single sighting of him.

"Indy is microchipped and has now been reported as missing/stolen. He has medical issues that make him unable to be used for breeding, and is due for a major operation next week.

"The £500 reward still stands. And as long as he is brought home, regardless of where he's been or who has had him, the money will be paid and no more questions will be asked.

"Everyone please share this as far as possible, even if you're not local. And if you have any information please contact me on 07538016574 or Shelley Munns on 07718656222."