COPS hunting for six dogs that went missing in Tamworth in June have discovered a dog's body 200 miles away in Hastings.

Professional animal carer Louise Lawford was walking five pets for three owners in the woods when she claims they all bolted after being spooked by a gun shot on June 23.

Hundreds of people spent days searching Hopwas Woods near Tamworth, Staffordshire, for Ralph, a five-year-old fawn pug, 18-month-old French Bulldog Jack, eight-year-old black pug Pablo, six-year-old Jack Russell Terrier Cross Maggie and three-year-old pug Charlie, who is also half-blind.

But the owners quickly reported the tragic incident to West Midlands Police when they grew suspicious of Ms Lawford after she disappeared from her home and stopped answering their calls.

In a further twist, it has since emerged a sixth dog, Freddie the pug, who was owned by Ms Lawford's son, is also dead.

Ms Lawford's father-in-law Peter Oddy said: "Freddie is the sixth dog involved. He belonged to one of the grandchildren.

"It's a terrible situation and our hearts go out to the other dog owners."

They said Ms Lawford had split with their son Richard but he had allowed her to keep running her pet-sitting business from double-garages to the side of the family home.

Police said inquiries were ongoing but confirmed they were "aware of the discovery" of the remains of a dog in Hastings.

A spokesman for the force added: "Someone came to us with the information. As with all bits of information we have got to look at it."

PET SITTER QUIZZED

Despite widespread publicity, appeals through the Dog Lost charity and a £10,000 reward for their return, the pets, which became known as the "Tamworth Six", have not been seen since.

The owners of the missing dogs have said they are now sure they are dead and claimed Ms Lawford had given them "false hope" by allowing them to believe they were alive.

Ms Lawford is understood to have been interviewed by police.

She has not been arrested and has refused to comment on the dogs' disappearance.

Ms Lawford has not been seen since the dogs vanished.

AGONY

Last night Becky Parsons, 39, the owner of two of the so-called "Tamworth 6", said she had been told the dogs were dead.

She added: "We know Pablo and Maggie are dead.

"I cannot tell you how I know but it was said in a statement which could not have been false.

"There were no photographs but I am confident they were telling the truth and the dogs died.

"If it turns out they were buried in Hastings then yes it would be closure.

"I just want to find out what happened to them and what happened after they died."

Earlier Ms Parsons, from Erdington in Birmingham, wrote on Facebook: "You [Ms Lawford] let us have false hope. You let hundreds of people join us in a desperate search.

"My heart is shattered. My beautiful irreplaceable babies are never coming home. It's taken five weeks to get the truth. Five weeks of torture and agony."

April Lock, from Streetly, who owned Ralph and Charlie, said last night: "At the moment all we know is they did die in the dog sitter's care.

"We still want our dogs back. We found out on Monday evening that they are no longer alive.

"I am broken. It is just awful. We always had that hope that they would come home. We still had that tiny bit of hope that they were out there."

James Egan, 60, who left Jack the bulldog with Ms Lawford for the first time while he and his wife went away, said: "Something doesn't sit right. Jack is the only one worth anything.

"We've looked at the CCTV where Louise said she parked but we can't see her. The missus is crying all the time. It's horrible."

A West Midlands Police spokesman said: "This is currently being treated as suspected theft. A woman was voluntarily interviewed under caution on July 12 as part of the investigation.

"Enquiries into the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of a number of dogs that allegedly went missing under the care of a Birmingham-based sitter are continuing.

"To date, none of the pets have been found and we are still investigating this case as an alleged theft.

"Contrary to reports, owners have not been contacted by police to say that the dogs have died.

"Investigating officers are aware of the discovery of the remains of a dog in Hastings and are making enquiries to ascertain whether its linked to the matter in the West Midlands."

Anyone with information who has not yet spoken to officers should get in touch via Live Chat at www.west-midlands.police.uk/ between 8am and midnight, or call 101 anytime.

Please quote log number 1100 and 1106 of 26/06/19.

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