The life of a lost chihuahua puppy has been saved by cafe worker after a group of children threatened to drown it.

Eastern Daily Press: The chihuahua which was found chained up outside the Blue Sky Cafe in Cromer. Picture: Blue Sky CafeThe chihuahua which was found chained up outside the Blue Sky Cafe in Cromer. Picture: Blue Sky Cafe (Image: Archant)

The search is now on to find the animal's owner and it is being temporarily looked after by a dog warden service.

The young pup was found outside the Blue Sky Cafe on Cromer's Runton Road at around 5pm on Friday.

Someone who works at the cafe, who did not wish to be named, said the female dog had been in the possession of a group of children, who said they had recently found it, but that they would have to drown the animal if no-one took it.

The worker, who lives in Sheringham, said: "Some customers - two ladies - came in and said some children had been trying to give them a dog.

Eastern Daily Press: The chihuahua which was found chained up outside the Blue Sky Cafe in Cromer. Picture: Blue Sky CafeThe chihuahua which was found chained up outside the Blue Sky Cafe in Cromer. Picture: Blue Sky Cafe (Image: Archant)

"They said if they didn't agree to take it they would have to drown it.

"We phoned the police and then they left but the dog was left behind."

The staff took the pup inside and phoned North Norfolk District Council, but an officer was unable to take the dog in.

The worker said: "A man from the council came but he couldn't take it because he had one of the bagot goats in his vehicle, so I took it home for the night.

"On the way home I stopped at the fish and chip shop in Roughton, and because it was such a cute little thing it got a lot of attention."

He said the story created a social media storm after someone shared a post of the dog on Facebook.

It has since been shared more than 30,000 times and led to people getting in touch from across the UK.

The worker added: "I didn't realise how many lost chihuahuas there are out there, all over the country."

He said the pup was a welcome guest in his house for the night, before the Dog Warden Service came to take it into care the next morning.

"It was a lovely little thing, used to being with people," he said. "She was running up and down the stairs quite happily."

He said the wardens would keep the dog for seven days to see if anyone claimed it, and if not it would go to one of the re-homing centres.

The owner of the dog can call Dog Warden Services on 01362 858500 to claim it.