Hit and run driver kills dog and narrowly misses twin babies

A mother from Greenisland has been left traumatised after a hit and run driver killed her dog and narrowly missed her twin babies.

Terri McCullagh was on a walk with her husband and sister on Monday when a driver mounted the footpath.

After shouting to alert the driver, he then swerved before mounting the curb a second time, killing their pet beagle, Annie.

Terri told UTV: "I couldn't believe that somebody would be driving on the pavement.

"We've done nothing wrong.

"It wasn't like we ran across the road at the wrong time or the dog was off the lead or, you know, we push the kids across trying to get across.

"We were standing stationary.

"I came face to face with the man driving because his windscreen was that close to us when he swerved back onto the road and there was nowhere for us to go at that point."

Terri has made an appeal on social media and now on TV to help track down the hit and run driver.

She does not know whether drink or drugs were involved, or if the man was simply unwell.

Either way, she worries that if he is not found, the same thing could happen again.

"It could happen to another family.

"And, you know, next time it might not be as lucky.

"If I had taken the kids out on my own, I wouldn't have had the strength to push them away.

"It's unbelievable really.

"And I think that's why we're so traumatised by it, because the circumstances are awful.

"We've lost our are wee dog but it could have been so so much worse."

Police have appealed to anyone who was driving on the Upper Road in Greenisland on Monday 2 January at around 4pm, and who may have dashcam footage, to contact them.

As the McCullagh family waits for answers, they mourn the loss of a much loved pet and are thankful no one else was killed.

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