A dog that was left dying in an apparent hit and run on the Helston to Redruth road on Saturday has prompted an appeal on Facebook to find his killer.

Sixty kilo bullmastiff Jake, who had only been re-homed with the Brine family from Crelly near Trenear that day, suffered spinal injuries and had to be put down.

He was hit on the B3297, in an unlit area, just before 11pm on Saturday, January 25.

Now his new owners, Tony and Tina Brine, are appealing for help in finding the driver of the car, who failed to stop following the collision.

Tina said: “If another car had been travelling down the road it could have caused a major accident. If they’d stopped sooner it could have made a difference. To leave the dog in the middle of the road in that state is diabolical.”

Jake had arrived earlier that day with the family from the Last Chance Hotel based near Redruth.

They had instantly fallen in love and Tony had taken Jake, together with the family’s female bullmastiff, out for a walk across fields surrounding their house when Jake spotted a fox and chased it out onto the road.

Jake’s death prompted further heartache for Tina, who was already mourning the death of her mother a year ago to the day.

Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact the police on 101, quoting log number 369 of 26/01/14.

A police spokesperson said the incident had been logged, but without a registration number or other details to go on investigations were hampered.