A magician whose rabbit disappeared is appealing for help to find his beloved stage companion.

Benji, a pure white rabbit, went missing from his home in St Mary’s Bay on Romney Marsh on Saturday.

Phil Hoyles discovered five-year-old Benji was missing in the evening after he’d got out from the garden.

Unfortunately he was nowhere to be seen after being let out for a run.

Mr Hoyles, who works as a children’s entertainer, is now hoping someone might have seen him running around the Taylors Lane area and can return his rabbit to him.

He said: “It’s not what’s meant to happen in the act. Hopefully someone has seen him so we can find him.

“We let him loose in the garden and been doing that for a while and he’s been safe and I think he’s just got out somewhere but I don’t know where and found a hole we hadn’t spotted.

“I’ve knocked on neighbours’ doors put up posters in the local newsagents. It’s just a waiting game at the moment. I just hope it’s not a fox or anything like that.”

"A friend of mine said you should ask the paper because it’s quite funny and made a good headline. Hopefully people see it and think ‘I’ve seen him or taken him somewhere’." Phil Hoyles

But Mr Hoyles says he can see the lighter side to the story despite feeling upset that his beloved pet has gone missing.

“A friend of mine said you should ask the paper because it’s quite funny and made a good headline.

"Hopefully people see it and think ‘I’ve seen it or taken him somewhere’.

“I’ve had him for five years and he’s an established part of the show. He’s the star and the one the kids love to see.

“He’s a pure white and they all love it. He’s got a little black smudge on his nose.

“I work for two hours and they remember him more than me which is great!”

Unfortunately Benji is not microchipped which Mr Hoyles said he now “wished to God” he had done but the “next one I get will be”, he said.

“He’s a very placid rabbit and always answers to his name and over like a dog or a cat which is rare.

"I live with a friend and we house share and she’s got cats and tortoises and I’ve got the rabbit. We just come as part of a pair.

“They become part of the family. There’s a grieving process.

“It has to be a pure white for what I do but I don’t need a particular breed. A good temperament is needed because they get handled lots by kids.”

Anyone who has seen Benji or can help track him down can call Mr Hoyles on 07751 750630 or email phil.hoyles@live.co.uk.