A frantic search involving a rescue team and a drone is under way for a nine-month-old puppy which went missing during a walk yesterday afternoon.

Gus the French bulldog disappeared from his owner's sight after playing with another dog by Cliffe creek in Medway.

Drone SAR For Lost Dogs UK was contacted today by the dog owner's mother.

Graham Burton, owner of the service, said: "We use drones to help find missing dogs all over the UK.

"Gus's owner's mum contacted me after he went missing yesterday and the search is ongoing right now.

"The puppy's owner was walking him with her sister and another dog.

"Gus and the other dog ran into the bushes, her sister's dog came back but the owner's pet didn't return."

The search and rescue group has 1,300 volunteer drone pilots and more than 1,500 volunteer ground searchers across the UK, and has helped to find more than 1,700 missing dogs.

Graham, who is based in south Wales said: "They've cleared the brambles in the area and have noticed lots of fox holes.

"Volunteers are now digging up the burrows in hopes of finding him.

"Gus's owner has been frantically searching for him all night and all morning. We became involved after the dog walker's mum, Julie Ann Lambert, contacted us on our Facebook page."

Gus went missing around the RSPB Cliffe Pools area, but his owner was able to pinpoint the exact spot on the what3words app, which has helped the search team. What3words is a geocode system designed to identify any location down to about three metres.

A dedicated team is searching now, and people aren't encouraged to join them due to government coronavirus rules, but any locals already planning to take their exercise in the area are being urged to keep an eye out for Gus.

In a post on the Drone SAR Facebook page Julie said: "Please help me find my daughter's dog who went missing while out walking.

"We have searched everywhere; she is absolutely going frantic. Please contact me if you have any news."

If you have any information that can help Gus's owner find him, contact the Drone SAR For Lost Dogs UK Facebook page here.

Read more: All the latest news from Medway