Sir, I would like to write to thank a variety of people who helped me out last night, Monday, October 26, when I lost my young dog, William, at 6.30pm.

He ran off when he was terrified by a tremendously loud firework detonated from someone’s back garden in the Charlton Heights area. This explosion was so loud that a fellow dog walker’s large white Alsatian also took flight at the same time; luckily, he was found an hour and a half later by his very relieved owner.

So many people came to my aid last night to help search for poor William that it restored my faith in humanity and the community of Wantage, which only seems to be represented negatively in recent articles.

I would particularly like to single out a young couple (who were most likely current or newly ex-King Alfred students) who searched for hours. I do not know who they were, but I hope that some of life’s good things will shower on them for their kindness.

I would also like to tell my husband that I love him for finding the said dog at 11pm cowering in a ditch, after searching tirelessly for four-and-a-half hours.

I know that we cannot stop people letting off fireworks and neither would I wish to, but I hope this is a timely reminder to animal owners and firework detonators alike of the impact of fireworks on poor frightened animals.

Marcia Griffith Upthorpe Drive Wantage