THE HUNT is on for a sick thug who brutally kicked a puppy unconscious - then dragged the stunned animal behind him as he ran off.

The gut-wrenching attack took place on Monday morning on the Beechwood estate and was witnessed by a horrified Globe reader who was herself out walking her dog.

"We were walking at the back of the Beechwood Social Club at around 11am when I spotted a man of around 20 to 23 with what looked like a brindle boxer puppy on a lead," she said.

"The dog was jumping up at the lead and he suddenly kicked it.

"I was about 100ft away and I heard the thud.

"I was horrified, but then he did it again, and again, kicking it really hard until it just fell over unconscious.

"I was screaming at him at the top of my voice but he just carried on. Then he saw me running at him and he started to run away, dragging the dog behind him."

The yob then bent down and scooped up the animal, she added. "He got as far as Newdales Close and tried to put the dog down, but it couldn't stand up. So he picked it up again and ran off into Newdales where I lost him."

The witness rang the RSPCA and Crimestoppers when she later got home to New Brighton.

But she and a friend were so incensed they returned to the estate on Monday evening to ask if anyone knew of a man owning a boxer puppy.

She said the man was about 6ft tall, with short mousey hair and wearing a full grey jogging-style tracksuit.

"Someone, somewhere must know who he is," she said.

The woman, who the Globe has agreed not to name, added: "I must have been yelling incredibly loudly because there was still a buzzing in my ears when I got home.

"My friend and I spent two hours on the estate that night trying to find out if anyone knew who he was.

"We weren't successful but some-one must know as there can't be that many brindle boxer puppies in that area.

"The dog was probably only about six to eight months old. It was just a horrible thing to see."

She said the youth acknowledged her by swearing and telling her to mind her own business while "running away from me like a coward".

A spokeswoman for the RSPCA said an inspector was investigating.

She added: ""If anyone has any information we would urge them to contact our 24-hour cruelty and advice line on 0300 123 4999. All calls are in confidence."