A SINGLE mum has been left "devastated" after a cruel prankster claimed he had killed her missing dog.

Janice Kenyon, 48, of Bonsall Street, Mill Hill, Blackburn, said the hoaxer telephoned her in the early hours and said he had murdered missing Zola, a two-year-old Boxer.

Dozens of posters were put up in the area with her contact details.

Janice, who lives alone with her 13-year-old daughter Leighanne and granddaughter Chloe, nine, said: "I was in bed but answered the phone. When he said he had killed my dog it broke my heart.

"I was in pieces when I got that phone call. It was devastating. I can't imagine why somebody would want to do something so awful.

"I asked him if he had phoned the police but he said he hadn't because he had been drinking and taking drugs. I contacted the police and they told me to treat it as a hoax call.

"To do something like that is sick.

"I just want her to be found, I need to know what's happened to her.

"It's like a member of the family has gone. The girls are finding it really hard too, they really miss her."

Janice added: "We'd give anything to have her back."

Zola, a red and white pedigree worth £500, escaped from the back of the house on July 22 and has not been seen since.

A police spokesman said: "We received a report regarding a missing dog in July. It had not been reported stolen.

"Following that we had a phone call from this lady to say she had received a phone call from a man saying he had killed the dog. We advised her it was a hoax call."

Anyone who spots Zola is asked to ring Janice on 07749133925.