A couple believe their dog helped scare off thieves intent on stealing from their car.

Clare and Robert Montgomery were asleep last Saturday night when their dog, Bullseye, an eight-year-old Staffordshire terrier, started barking downstairs.

Mrs Montgomery, 56, of Hunt Avenue, Heybridge, said: “I woke up at about half past two in the morning when the dog started barking.

“He was going berserk, barking really madly."

In the morning, when Mrs Montgomery and her husband saw police on the street, they realised Bullseye may have scared off thieves.

Mrs Montgomery said: “We saw policemen in the street and we spoke to our neighbour who said that thieves had broken into his car and stolen an Ipod during the night.

“They had left a torch behind and all the doors open, as if they had rushed off.

“We think they were going to do our car next because we share a driveway, but they ran off when Bullseye started barking.”