Police officers held a whip-round to buy surprise presents for a five-year-old girl left heartbroken by the theft of her tiny pet Chihuahua.

Constables Lucy Palmer and Charlotte Kempton knocked at Isabella Buckle's door this morning with gifts and then treated her to a ride to school in a police in a bid to bring a smile back to her face.

Isabella's beloved one-year-old pooch Pixie was taken from her dad's van in the car park of Tesco in Purley on Monday. 

Thieves also attacked the family's other dog, seven-year-old boxer Duke, after smashing their way into the van to get to Pixie.

After hearing of the theft, from Selsdon and Ballards Safer Neighbourhoods Team held a whip-round to buy Isabella, who lives with her mum, dad and two brothers in Sylvan Close, some gifts including a colouring set, puzzles and a bracelet-making kit.

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Isabella with tiny Pixie, who was stolen on Monday

PC Kempton said: "Isabella has been left heartbroken that her dog Pixie has been stolen, so we wanted to try and cheer her up and got her a few small gifts that we delivered this morning before she went to school.

"The whole family is devastated and I would urge anyone who might have seen what happened or with information about Pixie's whereabouts to contact police."

Isabella's mum Nicola, 34, said: "It was lovely of them and cheered Isabella up a bit."

The family have been desperately appealing for help to find Pixie, whose disappearance Mrs Buckle described as "like losing a member of the family".

She added Duke, who the family believed had been trying to protect the smaller dog, had been left "completely traumatised."

Her family have offered a reward for anyone who helps get Pixie home safely.

Anyone with information can call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.