An elderly couple has been left devastated after their dog was killed in a hit and run accident.

Sandy Hammant, 73, of Mill Lane, Worth, explained that her husband, Rory, 78, was out walking their five-year-old terrier, Rusty, when the animal was spooked by a couple of other dogs and ran off down the bridleway and onto the main road.

Although the couple didn’t see the incident, a neighbour told them that a man in a white van had tried to swerve but hit Rusty and drove off.

Mrs Hammant said: “I don’t know whether he was speeding. They come off that road at 50mph from Deal and it’s a 40mph road.

“It is an offence not to stop after an accident and it makes me suspicious as to why he didn’t stop.”

“We are utterly devastated at losing him, as he was so full of life and a constant loyal companion...” - Mrs Hammant

In a letter she wrote to the Mercury, Mrs Hammant said: “Thank you van driver for not stopping after hitting our lovely terrier Rusty.

“You may not have been able to avoid a collision but you never stopped to check on him. So how did you know or even care that you had hit him at all?

“We are utterly devastated at losing him, as he was so full of life and a constant loyal companion.”

Usually, Mrs Hammant would have walked the friendly rescue dog herself and taken him on a different route.

Rusty had been attacked by other dogs before and Mrs Hammant believes that this is why he was so nervous and ran away when he saw the other two “menacing” dogs on the day that he died.

She said that dogs that were likely to attack others should have to wear muzzles.