MOTORISTS have been criticised today by a police officer and his wife – after dozens drove past and failed to stop when their pet dog ran on to the A14.

Chloe Soames ran up and down the central reservation waving for cars to slow down and stop after the couple’s boxer Frazer escaped on to the dual carriageway from a public footpath through a gap in broken fencing at Trimley St Mary.

No one stopped, slowed down or put hazard lights on and the pet was killed after being struck by three cars.

Mr Soames, 27, a police officer, said: “People’s morals are quite shocking – my wife was on the side of the road trying to warn people, trying to get people to help her and yet no one was prepared to do anything. If they had just slowed down it could have been completely different.”

They had been walking boxers, seven-month-old Frazer and Tilly, 18 months, on March 14 when Frazer suddenly went missing.

“One minute he was with us and the next he wasn’t – he just disappeared,” said Mrs Soames, 26, of Trimley St Mary.

“We started searching immediately and as it was beginning to get dark. Marc went back to get his car so we could use the headlights to see where he was.”

With Tilly on the lead, Mrs Soames went down a path towards the A14 dock spur roundabout.

“When I got there I could see Frazer running in and out of the traffic but no one stopping at all. They didn’t slow down or even put their hazard lights on,” she said.

Mrs Soames got across the A14 and ran along the central reservation trying to get Frazer, but the poor animal was panic-stricken. She then had to watch helpless as first one car hit him and then another, and another.

“It was awful. He lay there in the middle of the lane and drivers were going round him and carrying on going,” she said.

A police spokeswoman said the person whose vehicle struck the dog first was legally bound to report the accident as soon as possible and within 24 hours.

“People should consider their personal safety first, and as soon as it is safe, pull over and contact the emergency services,” she said.