A WOMAN has described how a dog caused mayhem on the A2 yesterday afternoon (FEB 19) for around 30 minutes by almost jumping on to the road from a bridge.

Members of the public, including Melanie Jenkins, 45, tried to get hold of the crazy canine, described as a brown lurcher-greyhound cross, but it looked like it might bite them so they backed off.

Police were called and traffic was stopped while they rescued the animal, which is now being looked after by officers.

One of the eyewitnesses has described how several people jumped out of their cars and desperately tried to rescue the “starving” dog before police arrived with one lorry driver trying to entice it with food.

'People were jumping out of their cars to help'

Ms Jenkins, from Sevenoaks, was travelling to visit her parents in Gravesend when she got caught up in the debacle.

She told News Shopper: “At around 4pm as I was joining the A2 from the slip road in Gravesend the traffic suddenly stopped and I then saw the dog running past me. 

“Someone jumped out of their car and it must have spooked the dog as it then ran back up the slip road. 

“People were jumping out of their cars and pulling their cars to one side to try and stop the dog but it seem really scared so it just ran back down the slip road and along the grass verge next to the hard shoulder. 

“Some of us tried to head it off and jumped out to try and catch it. 

“At one point a lorry driver virtually had it pinned between the lorry and the verge but I think it bit him and it managed to get away. We all jumped back into our cars and caught up with it on the bridge.”

The lorry driver tried to tempt the animal to safety with some food.

Ms Jenkins said: “He did his best to entice the dog back by offering it food, it seem starving but he just couldn't get the lead onto the dog because every time he tried the dog looked like it was going to bit him again.” 

“I was there for half an hour whilst the lorry driver passed food to entice the dog down but the dog just wouldn't let him put a lead on.

“Then the police decided to open one lane of the A2 and asked anyone who wasn't directly involved to leave which we all reluctantly did. 

“I was worried about it as my friend had a beautiful dog who sadly escaped from the house and was run over on the A2, so all I could think about was this could be a well-loved dog who would be really missed if anything happened to it.”

'The dog indicated he was going to bite them'

A Kent Police spokesman said: "We were called at 4.20 pm to reports a dog looked like it was going to jump from a bridge onto the A2 London-bound at Gravesend.

"Members of the public had tried to get close to the dog but the dog indicated he was going to bite them.

"Officers stopped the traffic temporarily so they could get to the dog safely.

"The dog was caught and is currently being looked after by officers. Traffic resumed soon after."

Video by Melanie Jenkins

Did you see anything? Call the newsdesk on 01689 885 721.