THE search is on to find a lost lizard in time to celebrate a little boy’s seventh birthday.

Cody Kerr, who is a pupil at Moredon Primary School, was getting a new tank installed in the wall of his mum’s living room in Moredon especially for his birthday on Wednesday.

But work stopped after the green water dragon, who goes by the name of Greeny, went missing on Saturday, leaving the family with no lizard and an unfinished tank.

Cody’s mum, Shellie, said: “He’s absolutely devastated, the lizard is like a dog to him. He absolutely adores it which is why I have had the new tank built into the wall.

“He has cried his heart out. He has gone around and done posters and put it on trees and the local shop but we have heard nothing.

“There is a chance someone might see it sitting in their garden. He looks a bit frightening, people are scared of him, but he doesn’t bite.

“I am really worried. Even if he died I would rather Cody knew what happened to him.”

Greeny, who is about five-years-old, was put in a tree in the garden, which is fenced in, on Saturday.

“He was out there for ages but then he must have just legged it. We have looked everywhere,” said Shellie.

Shellie has spent about £400 having the tank installed.

“While the builder was in the middle of building the tank the lizard was gone. I just said to the builder leave the work, I need to find the lizard.

“At the moment I have got a big hole in the wall. We were going to do a waterfall and everything.

“I said to Cody that’s his birthday present. He’s got a bearded dragon in a tank with the glass and then there’s a hole above it where the tank for the lizard is meant to be.

“It’s a massive big tank being built. All that’s missing now is the lizard. We’re going to have to make it into shelves if he doesn’t turn up.”

Shellie, 31, who is a full-time mum, thinks Greeny could be in the Bourne Road or Akers Way area and is urging anyone who sees him to get in touch.

“He is homeless. If anyone sees him, even if they are too scared to pick him up, just trap him. He could be in people’s trees or bushes,” she said.

Anyone who sees Greeny should phone Shellie on 07563 563116 or Adver reporter Emma Dunn on 01793 501797.