A BOY has been left distraught after his beloved pedigree pet pooch was 'dog-napped' by a knife-wielding thief.

Emma Clavering pulled up in a car with her children in tow as the burglar was carrying her son Alfie's Neapolitan mastiff puppy Rampage out of the family's front door.

She tried to stop the thief as he climbed into a waiting getaway car but backed off when she saw the weapon.

Mrs Clavering said: "My little boy Alfie was screaming on the driveway afterwards 'I want my doggie'.

"He was devastated by it.

"They were inseparable — Rampage is like his new best friend.

"He cost £1,500 and I'm still actually paying him off."

The puppy is 12 weeks old and was bought from a family friend four weeks ago because Alfie, aged four, wanted a dog.

Rampage — registered with the Kennel Club under the birth name Ribble Princess — was purchased from a breeder who has sold only two other Neapolitan mastiffs in the Bolton area.

Mrs Clavering said Rampage had been travelling with the family in the car every trip until she had to start leaving him behind at home after he received routine puppy inoculations.

The 30-year-old said: "As I got home, I saw a guy carrying the dog out of our house.

"He was walking straight out of our front door.

"I had to leave my kids in the car and ran across the road and tried to confront the man.

"He had a knife and he said 'I wouldn't do that if I were you'.

"He had a guy waiting for him in a blue Toyota Aygo across the road.

"You could tell the driver was uncomfortable being there.

"The man threw the dog on the back seat, jumped in the car and they drove off towards Chorley Old Road.

"It was all done in a flash. I can't believe it happened.

"I wasn't scared. The adrenaline kicked in."

The thief was stockily built, between 5ft 7in and 5ft 9in, wearing a grey Nike top and boasting stubble and a local accent.

Appeal posters have been shared on social media to help spread the word of the theft, which happened at 7pm on Friday in Moss Bank Way, Johnson Fold.

The theft has been reported to the police who are investigating.