One of Britain's rarest and most valuable puppies, coloured purple, is stolen

Police are hunting thieves who stole one of Britain's rarest and most valuable puppies worth £16,000 - because it's lilac-coloured.

The eight-week old British Bulldog puppy is so valuable because of its rare colouring. Officers say it was snatched from his breeder by a man who was pretending to buy the puppy.

Credit: Surrey Police

The man grabbed the pup when the specialist breeder's back was turned and ran out of the home - smashing a female relative to the ground.

He then jumped in a waiting car and his white male accomplice drove off at speed, almost hitting another member of the family outside the home in Tadworth, Surrey.

  • The puppy was taken at around 8pm on Saturday

  • The man who took the dog is described as around 5ft 10ins, of medium build, and had one of his top teeth missing

Lilac-coloured British Bulldogs are so valuable because of their rarity, but they are not recognised by the Kennel Club as an official colour, so are not often used for dog shows.