Reigning MCE British Superbike Champion Tommy Hill is appealing for the safe return of British bulldog puppy Barney which was in back of a VW Transporter van stolen from a house in Shirley, Surrey yesterday.

The dog and van, which both belong to Hill's father Mick, went missing at around midday from the house at which Mr Hill Snr was working. Police have been informed and Barney has a scannable microchip. The van's registration is GK58 NLG.

“He was in there for 15 minutes and my dad went to check on him and it was gone with the dog inside it. It was a van he had just bought, and it was the family dog which goes to work with my dad,' said the Swan Yamaha rider.

“The police are looking into it, but I just hope there is someone who’s seen something. Because he’s just a puppy he won’t know that there is anything different.”