A four-year-old boy has written a heartbreaking letter to the 'bad men' who stole his beloved puppy.
Ethan Ferrier has only just learned to write but penned his first letter after his pet cocker/springer spaniel Fern was stolen from the family farm in Malden Rushett, Surrey.
Despite the fact that Fern was stolen on April 28, 2013, Ethan has never forgotten her and decided to appeal to whoever stole her.
His note begs them to return Fern, who was a one-year-old pup when she was stolen.
Writing in green ink, Ethan wrote: "To the bad men who took Fern. Can Fern come home now please. I miss her."
He signs off "Ethan" and includes a drawing of him and Fern with his mother Jodie and father Tom.
Ethan's letter has been posted on Facebook and Twitter and several pet websites in a desperate bid to track down Fern.
His mum Jodie believes Fern was stolen for breeding after the popularity of black spaniels went through the roof when the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were first pictured walking their dog Lupo in Hyde Park in February 2013 - just two months before Fern was stolen.
Heavily pregnant Jodie, 32, who is due to give birth to her second child at around the same time as the Duchess, said Ethan was 'heartbroken' when Fern was stolen.
She said he still asks about Fern every day and that after learning to write at school, asked if he could send a letter to the people who stole Fern.
She said: "Ethan was very, very upset when Fern was taken from our farm - he would ask over and over again why anyone would want to take her from us.
"He has never forgotten about Fern and always asks us where we think she is and if she is happy. He asks me every morning if Fern is coming back home and I have to tell him I don't know - it's heartbreaking.
"When Ethan started to learn to write he decided he wanted to write a letter to the people who took Fern and this is what he came up with.
"We still hope with all our hearts that Fern will be found one day - if only the people who took her knew the devastation they had caused maybe they would bring her back."
She added: "Fern looks almost identical to Lupo and we've spoken to endless dog charities and police who tell us the same story - that demand for cocker spaniels is outstripping supply because of the popularity of Lupo."
The couple have campaigned tirelessly to track down Fern via their FindFernWithMe Facebook page.
In her latest post, Jodie said...
Ethan's dad Tom, 35, said: "Breeders are getting up to £1,000 for cocker spaniel puppies at the moment because of the William and Kate's dog.
"We want to make people aware of this problem, because it is getting worse."
More on Parentdish