POLICE think two men dressed as builders could have stolen a dog from a village near Hereford.

West Mercia Police said it hoped it was a false alarm, but the possible dog theft at around 2pm on Tuesday in Fownhope had been reported to them.

PCSO Christina Howard, from Hereford rural north safer neighbourhood team, said a member of the public saw two men running after a black and white terrier.

The men asked the witness if the dog was theirs, but when they realised it wasn't, they picked the dog up and drove off quickly in their van towards Ross-on-Wye.

The van was a white Fiat with a vehicle registration number similar to FV**LW*, PCSO Howard said.

She said the men were described as between 30 and 35 years old, of average build and dressed as builders.

"We hope this is a false alarm but the vehicle is registered to someone out of the county," she said.

Anyone who wants to pass information to police can do so by calling 101 and quoting reference number 00314_I_02482021.