A DOG owner is resorting to paranormal powers to track down her missing miniature pinscher.

Frantic Carol Iveson was convinced her six-month pup, Barney, had been stolen and turned to a psychic who is an expert in tracking down missing pets.

Barney - who was to have been entered in Crufts next year - disappeared from a pen in the garden of Mrs Iveson's home in Wensleydale, North Yorkshire. She has already alerted police and placed appeals for information in local shops - but all efforts to track down Barney have so far failed.

However, while trawling the Internet for help, Carol came across a website for surfers with missing pets.

In desperation she was put in contact with an unidentified psychic who has helped police with murder hunts in the past.

He has sent her a tape assessing her case - with intriguing results.

The psychic believes Barney is probably living with a family on a new housing estate within a 30-mile radius of her home and are unaware their pet is stolen property.

"The tape also says the men who took Barney were quite young and handed him over to someone else at a petrol station. I'm hoping any readers who may have bought a miniature pinscher recently will get in touch," she said.

Barney has distinctive "thumb-print" spots on his front legs and could be worth as much as £400 to £450 on the open market.

A spokesman for North Yorkshire Police confirmed officers have been told of Barney's disappearance.

"Police in the area will be keeping an eye out for dogs which match his description," he said.