It's like the Famous Five without Timmy, or the Wizard of Oz without Toto.

Young actors rehearsing for a production of Oliver! are facing having to perform without one of the show's key characters.

Mowden School in Hove has 100 children and ten staff already lined up but as yet there is no dog to play Bullseye, the rough-and-ready sidekick of the show's villain Bill Sykes.

Anyone who has seen the classic 1968 film of Oliver!, which starred Oliver Reed as Sykes, will remember the white English bull terrier with a black patch on his eye.

He follows master thief Sykes everywhere he goes, bringing some extra menace to the criminal by swaggering at his heels.

Headteacher Alan Laurent said: "We are still somewhat lacking in the canine department. It would be a real shame if we had to go ahead without a Bullseye because he is a big part of the show."

Mr Laurent said the school would ideally like to find a dog who exactly matches the look of the one in the film. "If they can't find one then some cosmetic sleight-of-hand will do the trick.

Mr Laurent said: "Apparently it's possible for our make-up artist to add a black eye patch to a white bull terrier so the dog doesn't have to have one.

"We need a dog able to work with 100 children and not be worried by them so temperament is probably more important than type. If we have to have a different breed, we will."

It is the biggest production the school has attempted. Out of the 130 pupils only the 30 youngest are not taking part. Mowden has only recently gone co-educational and boys still outnumber girls so Oliver! was chosen for its large cast of orphan boys and London street urchins.

Lancing College is allowing Mowden to use its theatre for the show and the entire school is will be involved in putting it together.

Mr Laurent said: "It's so exciting because we're all working as a community. Parents are making the costumes and we're going to create the scenery.

"The finishing touch would be if we could find a Bullseye.

"If the worst comes to the worst, we'll have to rewrite some lines and rearrange the action but I hope it doesn't come to that."

Mowden's production of Oliver! runs from July 6 to 9.

If anyone thinks they can supply a suitable dog, please call Mr Laurent's PA Kylie Joyce (who will be playing Nancy) on 01273 503452.