A SINGLE father says the council is keeping his dog "hostage" by demanding more than £100 for its return after it was found yards from his home.

Distraught Robert Callaghan, 50, bought King Charles Cavalier Tilly for his 11-year-old son George soon after Christmas last year.

The single parent said that Tilly ran out of a gate at their home in Sycamore Drive, Swanley following Crockenhill Primary School pupil George, who went for a bike ride on May 27.

Tearful Mr Callaghan said: “Our patio door was open for the dog to get some air. Then George has gone and she’s followed him because she loves being with him.

“She was found in an alleyway just yards from us by a member of the public who took her to Swanley Town Council.

“They had my details and the dog is microchipped. They could have got it back to me the very same day.”

But Mr Callaghan says the dog was instead handed over to Sevenoaks District Council who are asking the unemployed father to pay £120 for her release.

Mr Callaghan said: “It’s going up every day and I just can’t afford it. I’m struggling to make ends meet. As far as I’m concerned they are keeping my dog hostage and demanding ransom money.

“I can’t believe a council would deny a little boy his own dog. I did the right thing and spent a lot of money having Tilly microchipped. It’s outrageous.”

Mr Callaghan said that he bought Tilly as a companion for George, who now wants to sell his Xbox or use his savings to buy the dog back.

Mr Callaghan added: “We love her to bits. This policy they have is causing so much hurt. I’m choking up just talking about it.

“Every time I bring it up George gets really upset.”

A spokeswoman for Sevenoaks District Council said: "The council's stray dog out of hours service was called and the dog taken to kennels. If a dog is collected outside of business hours it will be taken to kennels immediately and only returned during working hours.

"The owner's were identified by the microchip and contacted next working day which due the bank holiday was Tuesday 31st May, 2011. The owner was advised that the cost of the return of the dog was £125, this includes a statutory fee, council and kennelling costs.

"The cost was reduced by £15 to reflect the fact the dog was micro chipped.

"It is the policy of the Council not to return a dog until full payment has been made."