DOC Martin star, Martin Clunes, has offered a £2,000 reward for a beloved dog’s safe return.

Pippin, a cross between a Yorkshire terrier and a Poodle, who is also partially blind and deaf, was stolen from Jane Wilson’s home in Wigston, Leicester, on March 15 this year.

The thieves smashed through the bottom glass panel of Jane’s kitchen door, leaving glass scattered everywhere and also traces of blood in the garden, verified by police forensics to have been from a dog.

Jane’s son, Gareth, believes that Pippin was the sole target for the theft, and that the thieves must have known Pippin’s name to call him outside through the broken glass in the door.

During a visit to Port Isaac, Jane met Martin Clunes on the set of Doc Martin, where she, Pippin and Mr Clunes had a photograph taken together, and later chatted under an umbrella until a shower of rain had subsided.

Jane was always fond of Mr Clunes, due to his clear and sincere love for dogs and other animals. She also enjoyed spending time in Cornwall, for both its scenery and dog-friendly nature of holidaying there.

The family think Port Isaac is one of the most picturesque and charming sites they had seen in Cornwall and Doc Martin has always been a favourite of Jane’s.

Gareth said: “The contribution of Martin Clunes towards the campaign to find Pip has been of an incredibly high value. It has allowed the story of Pippin’s theft to be publicised through national newspaper outlets, and helped to raise mass awareness of the need to find him. We really cannot thank Martin enough for his help in this matter.”

With no updates as to Pippin’s whereabouts, the Wilsons have been desperately publicising his disappearance on Facebook and through posters being put up all over Leicester.

Gareth said the public has been incredibly helpful to the case — apart from a recent hoax — by putting up posts about Pippin on social media, spreading awareness of his disappearance and contributing ideas towards the campaign to find him.

He added: “We are desperate for people with information (and we are sure that they are out there) to report it to thepPolice’s 101 number. We are keen that people know that the police will respect their confidentiality, but also that information can be reported with complete anonymity to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

With Martin Clunes’ generosity in his £2,000 reward, and the support from the public, it is hoped that Pippin is brought home safely to his loving and very worried owner.