A KIND hearted dog owner who took in a stray left for dead on Turkish beach has praised the generosity of others after she started an appeal to pay for the dog's veterinary treatment.

Margaret Mallett, who is foster carer for dogs in Defford, has been looking after Jack the dog since last year when he was brought over from Turkey suffering with injuries likely to have been caused by a shot to his head.

Due to his injuries Jack, who has just one eye, had to undergo surgery to remove bone embedded behind the eye socket, which became infected.

In order to pay for the operations Mrs Mallett started a fundraising campaign to raise the £2,500 they cost, including a guess the number of dog biscuits in the tin and an article in the Evesham Journal and Worcester News.

And in just a few weeks all the money has been raised.

She said: "In total we have raised just over £2,500. The guess the biscuits was won by Lynn Glasson and raised £259.70 alone. There were 706 biscuits in the tin and Lynn guessed 720.

"In addition we were blessed with many donations. I was truly humbled by the number of kind and generous people who donated money to help Jack."

And the giving hasn't stopped there with one woman planning to donate to the charity Mrs Mallett fosters with, Friends of the Animals RCT in Wales, in her will.

"She feels she would like to leave something to a small charity, where all of the money goes for the welfare of the animals," she said.

"Friends of the Animals RCT, Jack and I would all like to say a heart felt thank you to

Pershore Pets and Livestock who hosted the competition and collected donations, the many wonderful people in Worcestershire who have taken Jack to their hearts and given so very generously, Martin and Carr vets, Langford Veterinary referral hospital and to the Evesham Journal for highlighting Jacks plight.

"Without everyone's help over the last six months Jack would have died, what more thanks can we ask for than to see Jack wagging his tail, running round and making the best of everything which life is now offering him.

"He is now quite a celebrity in and around Pershore with many people stopping to say hello to him. Jack takes it all in his stride, tail wagging.

"When he has recovered fully we will be looking for a suitable home for Jack. We have no doubt we will find the perfect home and a lucky family will get a most amazing dog."