Swimming teacher Katie Cookson has thanked everyone who came to the aid of her lurcher/wolfhound cross Arthur after he was hit by a car near Seend.

Arthur slipped his lead and ran away while Ms Cookson was walking him on Sunday, March 2.

Ms Cookson said: “He is six months old and full of spirit. I don’t know what got into him, but he just took off. I spend ages trying to find him but without luck.”

Police officers PC Sarah Pulman, from Chippenham, and PC Hazel Anderson, from Corsham, were driving through Seend on their way to a training day at police headquarters in Devizes when they came across an incident in Seend.

PC Anderson said: “We saw somebody hit something, then we realised it was a dog and got out of the car.

“We weren’t in uniform but we requested a local vet to deal with it, as it didn’t want us to move it. It was snarling at us whenever we tried to get close.

“We kept it comfortable until the vet was able to come out and get it. They sedated it at the vet’s and it was chipped so they were able to reunite it with its owner.

“It’s not the sort of thing we’re used to dealing with, but I’m just happy we could help.”

Arthur was taken to Estcourt House Vets in Devizes where his broken leg was put in a cast.

Ms Cookson said: “I was resigning myself to the fact that I’d lost him but when the vets rang I was overjoyed. He is a lovely boy.

“I cannot thank the vets enough for what they did for him. I didn’t have any direct contact with the police officers who helped Arthur but I would like to extend my thanks to them too.”

Ms Cookson is so impressed with the spirit that Arthur has shown that she has made him the mascot for her swimming classes.

Arthur is still undergoing treatment but it is thought he will make a full recovery.