Charlie the dog back at North Walsham home after hitting car

Charlie – a four-year-old Romanian rescue dog – was on an afternoon walk back to his North Walsham home after a trip to the vets when another dog “lunged” up at him just off Station Road.

The frightened pooch jumped into the road and into the side of an oncoming car, before running off into the distance.

Charlie (Image: Supplied)

Charlie’s owner, Rosalie Gibb, said the other dog “flew towards him" while “snarling and growling” and was “out of control”.

Charlie was missing for nine hours before finding his way home in the dark - limping through the door at just gone midnight on Thursday (April 27).

“It was a horrific experience”, Mrs Gibb said.

“Charlie was terrified and ran off. The lead was pulled out of my hand and I was pulled over onto my face on the pavement.

“He’s a Romanian rescue dog, so he was naturally very nervous when we first got him.

“He’s never reacted to a dog before, so for him to leap into the road like he did shows just how frightened he must have been.”

Rosalie Gibb, from North Walsham (Image: Supplied)

The local community rallied together to help find Charlie.

Mrs Gibb said a member of staff from the rescue centre where Charlie came from drove up from Suffolk to help, as well as a farmer who searched up and down his fields in his tractor.

“Everybody loves Charlie and so many people know him because he’s such a gentle, calm and friendly soul,” Mrs Gibb said.

“Anyone who owns a dog will know that they’re part of the family. To think of him out there injured on his own, my worry was he wouldn’t come home.

“It gladdens your heart that there are so many kind-hearted people who give up their time for someone else when they need it.

"Thank you all.”

Charlie (Image: Supplied)