THE search is on to find a rare racoon taken by thieves who cut their way inside his cage at a burned-out Hampshire animal rescue centre.

Coaty Coat the coatimundi was one of only two creatures to survive a fire two months ago at the Animal Rescue Centre in Shirley, Southampton.

Now the racoon-type creature has gone missing after thieves cut a hole in his specially built cage in the centre's garden in Shirley Road.

For owner John Harding the theft just rubs salt into the wounds. He lost nearly 20 animals in the blaze at the centre, which he ran for three years.

He said: "I've had him since he was 18 weeks old and he's now about ten years old.

"Nobody could put that in their back garden without somebody noticing.

"It's not worth a nickel.

"It's awfully worrying. It's like losing a child when you've had him for so long. If they let him loose in the wild he won't make it because he is used to being fed."

Since the fire in April Mr Harding has been going to the centre every night to feed Coaty Coat. Builders had moved into the centre and were stripping out the shop before Mr Harding decides what he wants to do in terms of re-establishing his animal rescue centre.

Described as a brown-grey colour with a black ringed tail, the coatimundi can only be kept under a pet shop licence or a dangerous and wild animals licence.

"It's no good to nobody and someone is going to see him," added Mr Harding.

"It's tame but you should not upset him.

"We were about to move him to a trustee's garden.

"I don't want to go back to that shop now. My guts turn over knowing what has happened."

A spokesman for Hampshire police said: "We believe it has been stolen as opposed to being released. We have liaised with the RSPCA and we don't think it represents a danger. But we would urge people not to approach it if they see it but contact ourselves."

Anyone with information about the coatimundi should contact Shirley police station on 0845 045 4545 or Mr Harding on 07909 594737.