THE joy of a Birlingham girl who was chosen to present a posy of flowers to the Queen recently has turned to despair after her beloved pet dog went missing.

Nine-year-old Daisy Rogers's father, James, fears the pedigree border terrier, Diesel, might have been stolen to order, which would be a particularly cruel blow as Daisy lost her mother to cancer when she was just five.

Mr Rogers said his daughter was distraught following the disappearance of Diesel, who is one-year-old, at around 4pm last Friday.

The family, including Daisy's sister, Millie, 12, and brother, Harvey, 10, had had the dog, which was worth around £500, for about nine months.

Just two weeks ago, Daisy, a pupil at St Barnabas School in Drakes Broughton, met the Queen at the Chelsea Flower Show as the winner of a competition run by the Sun newspaper.

Daisy, whose mother, Lorna, died from skin cancer, was accompanied to Chelsea by her father, sister and brother, as the first members of the public admitted to the show while the Queen viewed the displays.

They also met the Duke of York, the Earl and Countess of Wessex and Princess Alexandra.

Mr Rogers said that despite the honour of meeting the Royals, Daisy would willingly swap the experience to be reunited with her pet.

"She is absolutely devastated," he explained, "She has lost her mum already. She loves the dog and is just devastated."

Mr Rogers said they had last seen the tan and black dog in the garden of their home at Hall Farm, adding: "We searched high and low and we just could not find him."

He phoned the RSPCA but they said a lot of pedigree dogs were stolen. "It's possible he might have been stolen to order," said Mr Rogers.

The family have put up posters appealing for information that might help them find Diesel.

Mr Rogers said Daisy was desperate to find the dog, adding: "She is just crying herself to sleep, she is so upset."

Harvey has a border terrier, Turbo, of a similar age which was also pining for Diesel, said Mr Rogers.

Anyone with information about Diesel's whereabouts can contact Mr Rogers on 01386 751795.