A dog lover whose Great Dane was knocked down by a hit-and-run driver was so shocked he later crashed his own car into a petrol station.

Tom Loughead, 62, was putting his dog, Butler, into his car outside his home in Hove when a cat ran out.

Four-year-old Butler saw the cat and bolted after it into the middle of the road while his owner's back was turned.

An approaching car hit the Great Dane and drove on, leaving him by the side of the road.

A distraught Mr Loughead, helped by residents and passers-by, put Butler into his car and drove him to the vet.

Mr Loughead said: "Butler was standing by me and I was going to put him in the car and he saw a cat and he went flying across the road.

"A car hit him and just did not stop, they just left the dog lying there.

"The dog was suffering from terrible shock. He has obviously got bad damage to his paw because it was flopping but the shock was the main thing."

Having left his Great Dane in the safe hands of the vet, a shocked Mr Loughead drove to Sainsbury's petrol station in Old Shoreham Road, Hove.

As he moved his bronze-coloured Mercedes estate closer to the pump the car shot forward and crashed into the kiosk, hitting a wall and destroying a display stand.

Mr Loughead said: "I was shaking like a leaf. It was a combination of carrying the dog and everything. I just did not believe that could happen.

"I went to fill up with petrol and I just cannot believe the whole thing had happened. The staff were more concerned about me."

No one was hurt and Mr Loughead said the staff were supportive and gave him coffee and sugar for his shock.

Mr Loughead and his wife Sandra, 54, got Butler, who weighs more than ten stone, from a rescue centre.

They said he is a loving, friendly dog.

He is now back at home and is expected to make a full recovery following an operation to his leg.