CHAMPION dog Doc slipped his lead and left owners tearing their hair out all night.

Doc is one of only six Schipperke Belgian Barge dogs in Worcestershire, a national champion and a much-loved pet.

Given to owner Catherine Earp as an inspiration to get well as she battled against serious illness, Doc has gone on to win prize after prize in various competitions.

But on Monday night he went missing from his home in Malvern Link.

Catherine, a member and judge of the Schipperke Club, has been ill for 12 years and in early 2002 was in and out of hospital with illness.

Puppy Doc was given as a get-well gift by good friend and Chairman of the Schipperke Club, Dr Terry Thorn.

The two-year-old has competed in 15 shows this year including the Mid Counties show, Three Counties show and The Birmingham Nationals winning first prize in 14, and placed second at Crufts.

With only 300 of his breed in the country, he is worth about £600.

Returning home last night at 6pm, Catherine left the door ajar while she unloaded her shopping, and Doc headed straight for the open fields by Church Road, collar-less from a recent bath.

Catherine and her husband Kevin, of Redland Close, were out until one in the morning and up again at five scouring the streets and fields of Malvern in search of the little black dog. Luckily, Doc has now been reunited with his owners thanks to a good Samaritan who turned him in to the police station.

"It's such a relief, I kept thinking he had been run over or something worse," said Kevin.