A woman who has devoted her life to caring for other people's animals has had her own precious pets cruelly taken from her.

Patricia Bacon is currently caring for and looking to re-home 31 rescue cats at her house on Shotesham Road, Poringland, but is 'going through hell' over the mysterious disappearance of bullmastiffs Woozel and Lacy, who went missing on May 28.

She describes them as 'her babies' and reared them from when they were days old and dumped outside a vets in a shopping bag.

The 50-year-old self employed animal carer said: 'They are very dear to me, I reared them from puppies, they wouldn't have survived without me.

'They are a part of the family, my daughter Shikiera (14) is distraught, she used to help bottle feed them.

'I am mad about animals and those in need always seem to find their way to my door, I have always looked after them but this is the first time I have lost any.'

The disappearance is a mystery, police reported they spent time chasing the dogs around a nearby field on the day, but could not catch them.

They have not been seen since then, but Miss Bacon has had to suffer a cruel prank when a man phoned up from a withheld number and claimed to have the dogs.

Barking could be heard in the background, and the man then hung up.

'I was absolutely gutted, it was a terrible thing to do, my pets mean so much to me,' said Miss Bacon.

'I can't believe no one has seen them, they are quite a formidable pair, if you saw them walking down the road you would probably jump into the nearest ditch.

'But they are no danger, they were hand reared with cats and have a lovely nature. They are very much like Turner and Hooch, they will just slobber on you.'

Miss Bacon - currently caring for horses at Hillside Animal Sanctuary in Frettenham - fears the worst, that the dogs have either been shot by a farmer or taken for dog fighting.

She added: 'I think it is odd, somebody must have them.'

*Miss Bacon, who is a trustee of CatChums cat rescue in Norwich, is now offering a monetary reward for information leading to the safe return of the 'gentle giants'.

*Call 01508 558 708 or 07905 675 682.

*Have you lost something dear to you? Call Evening News reporter Joe Wilkes on 01603 772 439 or email joe.wilkes@archant.co.uk.