McQueen's great escape

Police in Stirlingshire are hunting the animal after he managed to jump over a wall, wade down a river and run across a golf course.

Now actor Martin Shaw - who stars as a judge in the television drama Judge John Deed - has joined an animal charity in calling for clemency.

Shaw and his co-star Jenny Seagrove have backed the growing campaign to save the missing pig and re-home him at an animal sanctuary.

The black boar bolted from a slaughterhouse at Stevenson Abattoir in Dunblane on Tuesday.

The animal, which is the same size as a German Shepherd dog, was nicknamed McQueen after actor Steve McQueen, the star of the film The Great Escape.

Inspector Kevin Findlater of Central Scotland Police said: "He is a feisty wee devil.

"We are pretty sure he is in the woodland two miles east of the town and are just waiting for him to make his next move."

Rescue operation

The pig was last seen in thick woodlands at Kippenross Estate, but has remained at large despite efforts by locals in the area and police officers to track him down.

Inspector Findlater said the pig only posed a minor threat to the public if he was "aggravated" or harmed.

However, he said officers were worried McQueen could run onto the nearby A9 road.

Police have urged anyone who finds the animal to contact them so that a rescue operation - involving experts from nearby Blair Drummond Safari Park - can be launched.

The charity Advocate for Animals has received a number of calls from people offering to help find the 110kg pig.

Its efforts have received the support of Martin Shaw, who is best known for his role as Raymond Doyle in The Professionals.

He is also patron of Hillside Animal Sanctuary in Norfolk, where staff have offered to keep the boar for the rest of his life.

"I would appeal to those involved to find it in their hearts to spare this intrepid pig, known as McQueen, and allow him to live out the rest of his days in peace at a sanctuary," he said.

Jenny Seagrove also supported the campaign, saying: "This pig wants to live.

"We are prepared to pay double the market value to save McQueen. Please, please save McQueen."

A spokeswoman for Advocates for Animals said the organisation had been inundated with calls about McQueen.

"We are hoping he will be found and saved very soon," she said.

"We will pay for him to travel southwards in style and vow to keep him on the best of food for the rest of his life."