A couple who breed dogs have appealed for help to trace four of their border terriers stolen from their Riddlesden home.

Mark Jones and his partner Andrea Jones say the dogs were taken from their kennels – in the garden of their house – sometime between 11pm on January 14 and 6.15am the following day.

Miss Jones, 43, a trainee nurse, said: “I can’t describe how we feel – I don’t know where to start.

“My partner has been breeding and show-ing dogs for about ten years, and he puts his heart and soul into looking after them.

“The dogs that were stolen are friendly, but now they’re away from their home environment, they will be frightened. As a rule, they are noisy dogs, but we didn’t hear anything that night.”

The beloved border terriers included four-year-old female Cleo, her two-and-a-half-year-old offspring Bolt, who is male, and Poppy, a pregnant female. The fourth stolen border terrier is an unrelated two-year-old male called Romsey.

Miss Jones added Cleo is “quite petite” for her breed, and that Bolt has a distinctive white paw.

The couple set up a Facebook page – Please help find our stolen border terriers – which had already attracted more than 1,050 likes by Friday lunchtime.

In a statement on the page, Miss Jones said: “Mark and I are overwhelmed by the support shown. I’ve been advised the dogs may have been separated to draw attention away from them.

“Please be vigilant. We desperately want them back in their home – a safe environment with people they know and trust.”

Thieves were able to get through two gates to reach the dog kennels, including one secured by a coded keypad.

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman confirmed the theft was under investigation. Sergeant Alex Alderson, of Keighley Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “We appeal for anyone who might have been approached by someone selling these dogs to contact us on 101, or the Crimestoppers number 0800 555111.”