A HAPPY walk turned in to a mugging mystery for a dog robbed of her collar.

The owner of three-year-old Husky-Labrador cross Molly told of his disbelief when his pet returned from an outing to Weymouth beach without it.

John Gough, proprietor of The Cutter Hotel, Weymouth, said: “Molly had gone for a walk with a friend of mine and when he came back he said he thought she had been mugged. I just couldn’t believe it.

“Everybody was in absolute hysterics. Except for Molly, of course.”

Molly had been out walking with Gordon Standish, owner of the Beaufort Guest House.

Mr Standish said: “There was a lad standing underneath the pier and the dog ran in. She’s very friendly and she likes being made a fuss of.

“It was out in the sun and he was in the shadows so I couldn’t really see much. I was never within 40 yards of him.

“But I saw him stroking the dog and making a fuss of her, I didn’t think anything of it.

“When she came back out from under the pier, she wasn’t wearing her collar anymore. The only conclusion I can come to is that he took it off her.

“He disappeared straight away.”

Mr Standish said that the man had two smaller dogs with him.

Mr Gough said he did not understand why anyone would take a cheap collar. “It was from the 99p store.”