TWO LABRADOR puppies owned by a top breeder and exhibitor were stolen from her home last Saturday.

Barbara Cox (Staeningas Labradors) left her home near Steyning, West Sussex for three hours on Saturday 26th August leaving her 10 Labrador puppies in a secure play area. When she returned home, nothing had obviously been tampered with but two puppies were missing, suspected stolen.

The puppies are one black bitch and one yellow bitch, both aged 8 weeks. They are a mix of show and working bred, of good size. The yellow bitch is quite pale in colour and the black bitch has a few white hairs under her chin.

The surrounding area has been combed and hunted by Ms Cox several times. She lives in a rural area on the outskirts of Steyning, West Sussex, close to the villages of Bramber and Lower Beeding. The main A24 London to Brighton road runs nearby Ms Cox’s house and a motorist using this route may have picked up the puppies.

The police feel the puppies escaped from the pen somehow, although no obvious exit point has been found, and whoever then found the puppies has kept them or has stolen them to sell on.

Ms Cox is appealing for any information relating to the puppies’ disappearance.

Brenda Cox (Staeningas Labradors) may be contacted on: 01903 816348 or 07740 118069. Her friend Diana Stevens, who is helping in the search, may be contacted on: 07714 458944 or email: wylanbriarlabs@aol.com