A SMILE has been put back on the face of a girl whose guinea pig was stolen after a kind reader gave her another one.

We reported how Zippy the guinea pig and his hutch had gone missing from the front garden of Keira Layton's home in Malvern.

Eleven-year-old Keira was left tearful and upset after waking up to discover her beloved pet was missing from the garden in Chance Lane.

Her family had offered a £50 reward for his safe return but, so far, no one has come forward with any information.

Our story did, however, lead to reader Jayne Newman making the offer of a replacement guinea pig and hutch.

Miss Newman said: "When I read the story I thought what a horrible, cruel thing to do to a child.

"I put the paper down and walked off and I just couldn't stop thinking about it.

"That's when I came up with the idea that I could make a little difference to her."

Miss Newman is a former breeder of rabbits and guinea pigs and had three guinea pigs of her own.

She let Keira choose from the three and, last Saturday, Keira picked out a three-year-old guinea pig called Marble to take home.

Miss Newman said: "Her mum said she was really pleased and I'd put a smile on her face.

"Marble is a really lovely guinea pig. She's the quietest and cuddliest of the three."

Miss Newman, who lives only a mile away from the Layton family in Madresfield, added: "You can't believe the audacity that someone would take the guinea pig. It is really cruel.

"I said to the little girl that for every horrible person out there, there's a million nice ones."

Lucia Layton, Keira's mum, said: "We are still hopeful that maybe someone will come forward about Zippy but I think it would have happened by now.

"But the lovely thing that did happen was Jayne saw the story in the Malvern Gazette and was really upset on Keira's behalf and contacted the police.

"We've never met her before, she's just a random stranger doing a random act of kindness but it put a smile back on a little girl's face. It restores your faith in humanity."

Mrs Layton added: "Marble is now safely ensconced in our back garden.

"It is sad but it's made us a little bit more careful and more security conscious."

Another reader, Graham Smith, also contacted the paper to say he would replace the guinea pig.

Mrs Layton said: "How lovely are some people? It's just nice that people have bothered."

Zippy disappeared between 9.30pm on Thursday, June 8 and 6.30am on Friday, June 9.

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 quoting 97s090617.