A FAMILY have been left distraught after their pet dog ran into the path of a bus and was left dead in the road.

Michael Saville, from Kelloe, near Durham, had been walking his dog, Jack, through fields near Coxhoe when the lurcher ran off, jumped over a fence and into the path of a bus.

The pet was dragged under the bus for a short distance and then left in the road.

The Saville family are outraged at what they called the heartless behaviour of the bus driver.

Passenger Wendy Shotton had been travelling to her home in Quarrington Hill on the Arriva bus at the time, at about 9pm on Wednesday. She said that when the driver established there was no owner about, he continued on his way, and left the dog in the road.

She said: "He asked if there was anyone with it. I said 'if you open the door, I can have a look'. I looked round and could just see the dog. Then he carried on up the road. He did not even get out of his seat.

"When the dog was dragged under the bus, he was yowling and screaming. I was just sat with my head in my hands. It was horrible."

Mr Saville witnessed the incident and had to pick up his dog and carry him home to bury him.

His wife, Beverley, said: "When he came in, he was covered in blood, I have never seen anything like it. He was in a terrible state, he has not slept since it happened because he says every time he closes his eyes, he can see it.

"I cannot believe somebody can be so heartless. Our dog was left in the road like a wild animal."

Iain McInroy, the operations manager for Arriva North East said: "Our bus driver did stop to check the condition of the dog and it was immediately apparent that the dog had died as a result of the incident.

"Clearly this was an upsetting incident for the dog's owners, as well as for our driver, and acts as a reminder that dogs should be kept on a leash near the public highway, both for their own safety and that of road users.

"We do offer sympathy to the owners of the dog."