TWO mystery children, praised for raising funds to help a badly neglected dog, have been identified thanks to an article in last week s Comet. In July we published the distressing story of Rusty who was found wandering in a Baldock street, starving and ha

TWO mystery children, praised for raising funds to help a badly neglected dog, have been identified thanks to an article in last week's Comet.

In July we published the distressing story of Rusty who was found wandering in a Baldock street, starving and having lost all his hair.

He was taken to the Wood Green Animal Shelter in Godmanchester, where the cost of his treatment was estimated at �8,000.

Among the donations which came pouring in was �14 from two imaginative and thoughtful young boys who sold their own version of The Comet, called The Comedy Comet, to their neighbours to raise money for Rusty's treatment.

After The Comet appealed for the boys to come forward last week, Kerrie Wakeford of Aleyn Way in Baldock, called the newsdesk to explain it was her nine-year-old son, Oliver Birkett, and his friend Mitchell Sullivan, also nine, who were behind the selfless gesture.

Oliver explained: "I have a German shepherd dog and I did it because I wouldn't want my dog to be like that." Mitchell also has a family dog.

Oliver continued: "We thought it would be nice to send money to help Rusty grow his fur back.

"We went to some houses and said 'can you help the poor dog?'"

The animal shelter has now sent the boys a thank you letter each and a pack full of goodies.

Mrs Wakeford said: "I'm very, very proud of them."

* On Friday, the partners at John Lewis Distribution Centre in Stevenage pledged �1,000 to the Rusty appeal, meaning the �8,000 target has now been reached.