Dog trapped in Chitty Chitty car

Mari has been starring in the musical for four years

A performing dog in the musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang went missing after it was trapped when the car was hoisted into storage 20ft (6m) above the stage.

Mari, one of 10 trained dogs currently taking part in the show at the Mayflower Theatre in Southampton, disappeared at about 1030 BST.

He was spotted six hours later as technicians lowered Chitty Chitty Bang Bang for the evening performance.

There are no substitutes for the dogs, all of which are needed for the show.

Frantic search

His handlers believe the small brown and white Tibetan cross fox terrier made his escape through the an open stage loading bay door during morning rehearsals.

They believe he then came back in as the search continued outside and crept into the car, which is manoeuvred at the end of a crane arm, before it was lifted into its storage position above the stage.

Mari's handler, Sally-Ann Ronsescu, said: "My husband and I have spent the whole day looking for him, and we are so delighted that he is fine and well.

"We were not too sure what we were going to do if we could not find him, he has been part of the show for six years, both in London Palladium and on tour.

"If he was a cat he would have used up one of his nine lives sat so high above the stage."