A devastated family are desperately searching for their missing dog, Ellie, after she disappeared while out on a walk.

The adored Yorkshire Terrier has been missing since Saturday evening, after vanishing when walking along Whitehaven Harbour with her family at about 6.30pm.

This is the first time 14-year-old Ellie has left her owner, Katie Morris’s side when out for a walk, as she is a “shy, timid little dog,” and never likes to be far from those she knows.

Mrs Morris is heartbroken, and even fears her beloved dog may have been stolen.

“We just turned around to check on her and she suddenly wasn’t there,” the Kells woman said.

“It’s not like her at all to wander off, so we ran back to the car to see if she’d gone there, but she’d just gone, and I’m really worried someone’s taken her.

“I had my husband, my nephew, my sister and everyone searching for her for hours, but we couldn’t find her anywhere and no one’s seen her since.”

The 35-year-old added that the whole family is missing Ellie, especially her three young daughters and Ellie’s daughter, eight-year-old Poppy.

She said: “[Poppy] just keeps walking around the house crying.

“She goes to check Ellie’s bed and then walks off crying, and it’s heartbreaking.”

She continued: “I’m not sleeping at all, because I don’t have a clue what’s happened and I just can’t stop thinking about her – I’m just devastated.”

But all hope is not lost for the family, as the search for Ellie has been shared across social media, with many getting on-board to help track down the Yorkie.

And Mrs Morris will do anything to get her dog home.

“We’ll give a reward to anyone who finds her, or who has any information on where she is or might be,” she said.

“We just want to get her home – we haven’t decided a reward yet, but I’ll give anything to get her back.

“She’s such a shy, timid little dog, and it’s so hard thinking she might be scared and alone, especially because it’s so cold.”

Due to Ellie’s shy nature, anyone who sees her is asked not to run towards her or try to grab her, but instead gently call her name and offer her a treat to make her feel safe.

Mrs Morris added: “If anyone has CCTV of Ellie walking off from the harbour, or even dashcam footage or anything like that, please, please call me – anything at all will be such a big help.”

Anyone who thinks they’ve spotted Ellie, or who has any information on her whereabouts, is urged to call 07393 202255.