Pet dog stolen from Sir Ian Botham's home

Thursday, 24th November 2011

Sir Ian Botham is offering £2,000 for the safe return of his son’s dog after it was taken from the cricketer’s home in North Yorkshire.

The animal, who loves water, balls and dog toys, is 15-months-old and is called Woody. The family is said to be "devastated".

Woody was last seen on Sunday. A source told the Daily Mirror: "Everyone is absolutely devastated -Woody means the world to them. He is Liam and his fiancee Emma’s dog but spends a lot of time at Ian’s home, so Ian is just as upset about it.

"The family are determined to get Woody back, that’s why they are offering a reward."

The dog was seen in the garden before he disappeared with Liam Botham’s ex wife, Sarah-Jayne Botham, but she denies taking the animal.

Sir Ian Botham is a former England Test cricketer and was a Test team captain. He was knighted in 2007 for his cricket achievements and his fundraising efforts for Leukaemia research.