A Jack Russell terrier and her four adorable puppies have been saved after being abandoned in a field.

The dogs were discovered yesterday on land off Fleming Road, Woodnesborough, near Sandwich, by a couple.

Resident Sue McDonald says a dog walker and his wife knocked on her door and asked if she knew anyone who had lost some puppies.

“We walked outside and across the orchard was a man holding two puppies,” the 76-year-old said.

“There was another running around so it was clear they had been abandoned. We said we would collect them.”

She says the puppies were in “quite good condition” but had been dumped.

They were taken by Dover District Council’s (DDC) Out of Hours Dog Warden service, and are staying at the local authority’s stray dog kennels.

But when Mrs McDonald returned home, she spotted more dogs running in the area.

“I came back and my husband looked to see if there were any more and we saw a puppy running along the road with its mum,” she added.

“Mum appeared, we took her in and we put her on a lead and thought if we took her back, the puppy might come back, which it did.”

DDC confirmed a Jack Russell terrier and four puppies have been handed in.

They say the dogs appear to be healthy but were not microchipped.

Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, DDC must retain stray dogs for seven days. This period provides an opportunity for owners to claim their pets.

Dog owners claiming stray pets are required to provide evidence of ownership before the council can release a dog into their care.

After the seven-day period, the dogs will be rehomed if not formally claimed by the owner.

The local authority says possible arrangements have already been identified if the dogs are not formally claimed, and there is already a waiting list of approved homes.

A DDC spokesman said: “We would remind everyone that microchipping of dogs is now a legal requirement and is an essential tool in identifying owners of stray dogs.”