A heartbroken elderly man has spent 314 days desperately searching for his family's missing dog and waiting for her to return home.
Jim Scott, 91, was smitten by his daughter's border terrier cross Flossie, and was absolutely devastated when she disappeared in September.
Daughter Gill and her husband Nick Keeley announced their dog missing after she ran off near the dunes at the Ranch Car Park in Blyth on a walk.
Ten months later, Jim is still devastated and looks for Flossie whenever he leaves his house to visit the shops.
The family are now offering a £15,000 reward for Flossie's safe return, in the hopes of reuniting her with Jim.
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Gill, 61, from Tynemouth, said: "Dad was really fond of Flossie. We've always had dogs growing up and he loves dogs, he loves all animals really.
"He was as heartbroken as we were when she went missing and he could see how upset we were too."
Jim lives on his own and used to really look forward to seeing Flossie and giving her treats.
"He was as sad as we were to hear she'd gone missing," Gill said.
In an attempt to help find Flossie, Gill shared a photo of her dad holding Flossie's missing poster on social media.
The post has now been seen by over 1.5 million people and shared 25,000 times - and it has even reached America.
Vera actress Brenda Blethyn, author Ann Cleeves and Countdown presenter Rachel Riley are among those who have joined in sharing the 91-year-old's plea.
Gill said: "We're stunned at how much the post has really touched people's hearts. Every time we looked at the numbers of views and shares they just kept growing and growing.
"I know it takes time and effort and thought to share a post, it's not just as simple as a click, so to see all of the support we've been getting, we're incredibly grateful.
"My dad's 91 and sometimes when you get to that age you don't have a lot going on in your life sometimes and although it wasn't his pet he was very involved in her life so he's lost a member of his family too and I think that touched a lot of people's hearts."
Gill and Nick have explored rabbit warrens with endoscopes, conducted searches of sand dunes, lit BBQs and kept night vigils at the dunes.
They also have a Facebook group called Flossie is Missing from Blyth, for people to share any information they may have about Flossie's whereabouts.
The couple continue to make daily efforts to find their beloved dog but Gill suspects she may have been stolen.
She said: "All we care about is getting our dog back. If someone has found her and kept her there's not going to be consequences if they come forward and say I've got your dog.
"Please just let us have her back if somebody has got her the money is there if they want it, if they don't drop her off at the vets or take her to an animal shelter. We just want her back."
Do you have a missing dog story to tell? Email nia.dalton@reachplc.com.
