WILTSHIRE police made one of their most unusual requests on Sunday when they asked: "Can we have our police dog back please?"

Trainee police dog Bess, a jet black German Shepherd, disappeared in Stitchcombe Woods near Marlborough while out on a training exercise with handler PC Mick Ware.

Probably confused by the maze of rabbit, badger, deer and fox scents that dogs can pick up in the woods, Bess failed to return when called.

PC Ware never had that sort of problem with his previous dog Jack.

Two year old Jack, as the Gazette reported last November, could not or would not pick up a scent.

Clearly, a police dog that cannot trail a suspect is about as much use as a pair of elastic handcuffs and Jack to the great disappointment of his handler who had put in hundreds of hours training with him had to be found a new job with the prison service.

Following an appeal in the Gazette for another young German shepherd dog to partner PC Ware he was given Bess, a lively one year old who, as it turned out at the weekend, still has a lot to learn.

Part of a dog handler's routine is regular training in the sort of difficult terrain where their canine Clouseaus might have to work one day.

Dog handlers are frequently seen out on the downs exercising and training their dogs.

Marlborough-based PC Ware took Bess up to Stitchcombe Woods, part of Savernake Forest, for a training session on Sunday morning.

Bess was off her lead when at about 11am she failed to respond to her handler's calls and went missing in the undergrowth.

Police put out an appeal to the public to keep an eye open for the black German shepherd bitch who they said had disappeared during a training exercise.

In a bulletin on the police voicebank media information service a control room sergeant said Bess was not considered to be of any danger to the public and asked people in the Stitchcombe area to look out for her.

Bess was missing for well over an hour when a woman walking in the forest found her, enabling her to be reunited with her frantic handler PC Ware.

The dog handler was not available this week to be interviewed but Salisbury division police spokesman, David Taylor, said Bess was still in the early stages of her training.

Mr Taylor said Bess was proving to be an excellent candidate for the job apart from the one aberration on Sunday when she took off on a scent of her own.

The spokesman said: "The handler was as concerned as any dog owner would be when their animal goes missing.

"The short period of time during which Bess was missing was quite distressing for the handler as anyone would expect.

He was very grateful when the member of public reported finding the dog."

Mr Taylor said Bess is otherwise making excellent progress and, when her training is completed, is expected join the other dogs in active service with the Wiltshire force.

He said: "This was a one-off incident and we are grateful to the lady who found Bess ."