A TOP racing greyhound has gone missing after the vehicle it was travelling in crashed near York.

The dog ran away after the accident on the A64 between Copmanthorpe and Askham Bryan College.

The black dog, called Royston Denis but who answers to Denis, was wearing a plastic muzzle, collar, lead and green coat at the time of the crash.

He also had the distinctive tattoos BLZ, in his left ear, and DP, in his right ear.

Four other racing greyhounds died in the accident. Tony Walton, a professional greyhound trainer, of Tang Hall, is desperate to find the missing dog and has scouted a huge area between York and Leeds.

Mr Walton had been training Denis since November of last year, and the dog had been successful at the Owlerton dog racing stadium in Sheffield, where he won several races.

The internet site doglost.co.uk has seen a huge amount of people helping by searching and putting up notices in the area Mr Walton said: "If anyone sees him, just stand and talk to him and he will come. Outside of their working environments they're so accommodating and loveable. They are such gentle giants."

Denis was wearing a muzzle and there were fears he would not be able to eat unless he was able to break it off himself, but Mr Walton said: "They're very clever. They will always find a way to pull a move if they can."

There was a reported sighting of Denis at Sherburn-in-Elmet, south of Tadcaster, but it came to nothing.

Mr Walton thought that because greyhounds can be so placid someone may have taken him in as a pet. He said: "If anyone has got him and they want to give him a good home for life then they can quite willingly have him. The fact is that you just want to know he is safe because you just feel so desolate."

Anyone with information should phone 0845 60 60 247.