A FAMILY have been left devastated after watching their young puppy get thrown in the air and suffer serious injuries during a hit-and-run in Southend.

Beckie Tack, 25, says the shocking incident has left her young children, aged two and six, traumatised and fears seven-month-old puppy, Kobi, may need a leg amputated as a result of his injuries.

The pooch was struck by a car in Lifstan Way while Beckie was walking with both children during the school run.

Kobi, a French Bulldog, managed to slip free from his lead and ran into the road before he was struck by the vehicle.

Beckie, who lives in Southend, believes the car was speeding at the time and claims the driver made no effort to avoid her dog.

She says the vehicle “smashed” into Kobi before briefly stopping then driving off.

“I don’t know why she didn’t try to slam on her brakes beforehand,” Beckie said.

“The driver just hit him, then stopped, got out the car, looked at me and the dog, before just driving off again.

“We are all traumatised and devastated.

“My kids witnessed it, the image of him flying down the road just keeps replaying in my head.

“I was a mess.”

Kobi has been left with trauma to his chest and a severe brake in his right leg.

It took the vets six hours to try and stabilise Kobi following the incident on Monday morning.

The dog will have surgery this week to see if his leg can be saved from amputation.

Beckie is now calling for speed prevention measures following the incident, which happened just metres away from Greenways Primary School.

She fears speeding on the road is putting lives at risk.

She said: “I think there needs to be speed humps or something down the road, people fly down there, and there are so many accidents.

“It is so close to a school; it is an accident waiting to happen, it could have been a child.”