Heartbroken family grieve loss of puppy killed in 'hit and run'

Diane Johnston watched as a van dragged their family pug Bella across New Line Street in Bacup.

Seven-month-old Bella had been trying to get across the road to play with other dogs when a van the family say was speeding hit her.

Bella had to be put down due to severe spinal injuries.

Miss Johnston said: “It was a nice day, so we were all in the garden and a neighbour had come by with his dog.

“When he crossed the road, Bella went across too, because she wanted to play with his dogs.

“My neighbour shouted to get Bella, but then the van came and dragged her down the street.

I saw it, my stepdad saw it and lots of people on the street heard it and came outside.”

“I jumped over the fence and ran straight to her.”

A vet said they would need £3,000 to move her to intensive care to do X-rays and other tests.

But, due to severe spinal injuries and head injuries, Bella was not guaranteed to survive either way.

The family got Bella in January and she had grown close to Miss Johnston’s 11-year-old Thomas.

Thomas went everywhere the dog went and he was the most upset at Bella’s death.

The family laid Bella to rest in their back garden, making her a memorial.

Miss Johnston said: “My kids are devastated, and Thomas even goes out to give her a glass of water before bed.

“My younger son James is disabled and does not understand she is gone.

“We have got CCTV from our neighbours, but it does not show the reg number of the van clearly.”

The police were called but without the reg number, there is little hope of the culprit being brought to justice.

Miss Johnston thinks that speeding is a problem on their street as she says there have been plenty of collisions.

She said: “It’s a race track to some of these drivers like the van driver that did not stop at all.

“Bella screamed three times when she was hit, so the driver definitely heard her.”

The incident happened on Tuesday at 3pm. Police are investigating.