A psychic is on the trail of a missing dog after being called in by the hound's despairing owner. Medium "Lillian" was recommended to Simon Tavener by a friend, David Nicholls, who used her when he lost his cat.

"He got the cat back within four weeks," said Simon, 40.

He has already telephoned Lillian, who gives consultations from a mobile home in Bracknell, Berkshire, and told her how ten-year-old Weimaraner Katie went missing.

Katie disappeared ten days ago when she went off rabbiting with another of Simon's dogs, Pip.

He said: "I was telling her about what happened when all of a sudden she cut in on me and said, 'She's alive!'

"Just to hear someone being positive about it was quite nice but it also felt a bit weird. "Lillian said she was getting feelings that Katie was taken in a large van. I need to go and visit her because she can see more clearly when you're with her."

Simon's friend David Nicholls said: "My cat was lost for a very long time - 40 days. I consulted Lillian and found her very supportive. She assured me from the outset that my cat wasn't dead, although I had consulted another medium who told me the cat was definitely dead and was under a hedge.

"I found that medium to be totally unreliable.

"Lillian gave me a charm and said to ask questions and have faith. I asked questions to the guardian spirit of my cat, to the spirit world, and the net result was that we were able to find her."

The cat, Felicia, has since died. Simon, who lives on the Maple- durham estate, near Henley, is becoming increasingly concerned about Katie's safety as she needs special medicine.

He said: "She cannot eat wheat and she is on homeopathic medicine. If she doesn't get the correct food she'll become ill very quickly."

Simon has had Katie since she was a puppy and described her as his "best dog friend".

Pedigree Weimaraners can be worth up to £500, but Katie has no monetary value because she has been spayed and cannot be used for breeding.

She was last seen heading towards Mapledurham golf course. Simon has posted notices around the area offering a reward. Anyone who has seen Katie can contact him on 0118 972 4586.

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