THE concerned owners of a Crufts prize-winning dog have offered a £500 reward for the safe return of their animal.

Rafa, a two-year-old Miniature Bull Terrier, went missing in Denholme on Thursday morning.

He was last seen in his owner's back garden in Whalley Lane at around 7.30am. Their garden backs onto Bucks Park.

Now his owner/breeders Dom, Elaine and Verity Clark are offering a £500 reward for his return to the family.

He was last spotted in Hillcrest Road in Denholme later on Thursday morning.

Rafa's owners have also put up the missing posters across Denholme and Cullingworth in a bid to find him.

The brindle and white-coloured dog was also wearing a blue collar.

In March this year, Rafa beat off stiff competition from 85 other dogs to be crowned the best of breed in the miniature bull terrier category at Crufts.

He followed this up with a victory at the Leeds Championship Dog Show held at Harewood House in July.

Mrs Clark says her family have launched a detailed search in a bid to end their "nightmare" since Rafa went missing.

She said: "It's just been a nightmare.

"I don't know how people cope when a child goes missing, it's bad enough when a dog goes missing.

"We have just been beside ourselves over the last couple of days.

"Rafa went missing in the back field of our house and we have searched all of the quarry and all roads near the house. It is very rural around our house.

"We have offered a £500 reward if anyone can find him safe. If he comes back, it would be worthwhile. We have put up posters all over the place.

"We have also been searching around Bucks Park and the quarry around there.

"He has been a successful show dog. Crufts was a really fantastic day for us.

"We have bred him, his mother and his grandmother. We have known him since he was a few minutes old. Rafa is well-known in the miniature bull terrier world.

"To the public he will come across as a fairly cutesy dog but he is important to us for sentimental as well as a breeding point of view.

"We have had people come over from Germany and Sweden this year to use him for stud."

Anyone with any further information on Rafa's whereabouts is urged to call Elaine on 07711 734266 or 07740 520528.