A HEARTBROKEN family are demanding action at a Hampshire campsite after their pet dog was killed in front of them.

They were walking through the giant Setthorns facility near Sway when seven-year-old Basil was run over by a vehicle that appeared to be travelling at four times the 5mph limit.

Basil died later that day after vets lost a six-hour battle to save the badly injured terrier.

Daily Echo:

His owner, marketing manager Adie Callaghan, fears a child could be killed at Setthorns unless campsite bosses reinforce the speed limit by putting up more signs.

But officials said “appropriate”

signage was already in place – and added that Basil should have been on a lead.

Adie, 41, of Sway, was with her 15-month-old daughter Rosie when the accident happened.

“Basil suddenly took off after a squirrel and crossed a track where vehicles were coming through the gate,” she said.

“I saw a silver-coloured 4x4 coming up at a fair speed and the inevitable happened.

“Luckily I didn’t see the actual collision as some trees were in the way, but the noise Basil made as he was hit will go with me to my grave.

Daily Echo:

“The driver was very apologetic, saying he simply hadn’t seen Basil.

He didn’t even realise he’d hit anything until he felt his vehicle go over something.

“We rushed Basil to the vets but his body had been through too much.

“We’ve been cheated of the most incredible family dog.

He was one in a million and we’re totally devastated.

“The house feels empty and our fouryear- old son Charlie is inconsolable.”

Adie estimates that the vehicle was travelling at about 20mph.

“There’s no way it was travelling within the 5mph speed limit at Setthorns. If it had, according to the vet, we’d have had a different outcome,”

she said.

“On this occasion it was our beloved dog, but on another it could be a child.”

Setthorns is run by the Camping and Caravanning Club in partnership with the Forestry Commission.

A club spokesman said: “We are dedicated to ensuring the safety of our campsite users and have strict policies in place. One of these is that we ask all users to keep their dogs on a lead.

“We also enforce the strict speed limits on all our sites and have appropriate signage in place.”

Adie said they always kept Basil on a lead during the summer but the campsite was deserted in winter.