A Wymondham family have spoken of their devastation after the suspected theft of their dog during a burglary.

Marco, an 11-year-old Pomeranian, went missing on Wednesday July 31 after a break-in on Stanfield Road between 4.30pm and 6pm.

His 58-year-old owner, David Warner, an estate agent, said: "We are distraught. It's been two weeks now and it's the not knowing that's hard. We don't know if he was taken because he was yappy or because he is very cute. It's just horrible really as we don't know if he's been harmed."

Marco was adopted a year ago from the Dog's Trust and is a golden colour with a grey streak running down his back and has three teeth. Mr Warner also said that he resembles the bear Bungle in the former ITV children's television series Rainbow.

Mr Warner said: "He's definitely got a sweet tooth - he really likes ice cream and when he is excited he does pirouettes. He's a boisterous little chap.

"When we got him he really took a shine to my wife and follows her everywhere."

The father-of-two added that Marco is protective of the home and probably confronted the intruders during the burglary.

Police are now appealing for information on Marco's whereabouts and would like to hear from anyone who saw a white man of average build wearing a dark top and driving a marron coloured van in the area.

During the burglary, yellow gold jewellery, a hippopotamus ornament, and around $300 and €200 leftover cash from holidays in the USA and Tenerife were also stolen.

A large Samsung curve television was also smashed six times but left in the property.

Mr Warner said: "None of that matters though really, they can be replaced. The over-riding thing of all of this is not knowing what's happened to Marco."

When his 26-year-old daughter, Francesca, discovered the break-in Mr Warner said the scene was "carnage."

He added: "Our sofas were all over the floor and they had gone through all of our drawers. They'd been through all of our personal drawers in the bedroom and smashed open the safe."

Anyone with information should contact DC Robert Blade at Norwich CID on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.