UPSET youngsters at a North Yorkshire school are hoping the Internet and a national TV show will help re-unite them with one of their much-loved pets.

Monty, a six-year-old Labrador-sized cross-breed, with black, white and tan markings, went missing from Howsham Hall School, near Malton, on May 2.

Staff at the prep school, for boys and girls aged six to 13, fear the dog, whose twin Jester also lives there, may have been stolen.

They are appealing for help finding Monty on the national website www.lostdog.co.uk - and, from there, the appeal has been picked by the BBC TV show Newsround.

The TV crew will be filming at the school today and pupils hope that will be enough for someone to recognise their missing pet and return him.

"Monty is much-loved by the whole community of staff and pupils, and the longer he is away, the more worried we are all becoming," said school spokesman Martin Dales.

"Monty's brother, Jester, is constantly pining for him, so we are very pleased that the BBC's Newsround programme has shown an interest in trying to help find him," Mr Dales added.

"It is also particularly sad that this should happen at the same time as the first anniversary of the death of former joint headmaster and sports master Anthony Knock, and it would be good to have Monty back before the children return after the half-term break."

If anyone has information regarding Monty, the school can be contacted on (01653) 618374.