A German Shepherd who nearly died after being hit by a car when she strayed onto the M20 is now on the road to recovery thanks to a team of volunteers.

Six-year-old Sansa was left seriously injured by an unknown car on the London-bound carriageway near Junction 9 for Ashford, shortly after 12.30pm on Monday, January 17.

A paramedic blocked the lane to protect her until officers from the Roads Policing Unit arrived to manage the traffic.

She was then collected by Dartford-based charity Artisan Rare Breeds and Animal Rescue, who took Sansa to a vet for treatment and ran a social media campaign to help cover her medical costs.

Sansa was not expected to survive but pulled through against the odds and is now looking forward to being rehomed by the charity.

She is currently under the foster care of one of Kent Police's Canine Community Policing Volunteers (CPV) who also works with Artisan.

Another member of the CPV team is looking into her previous ownership and medical history.

Canine CPV lead PC Martyn Tulk of Kent Police said: "We are so pleased that what could have been a tragic story for Sansa, has led to her being rehomed and now recovering from serious injuries.

"Her rescue was a real team effort and we are proud to have worked alongside our roads policing colleagues, the paramedic who protected Sansa at the scene, and Artisan Rare Breeds and Animal Rescue to help secure this positive outcome.

"Community Policing Volunteers provide direct support to specialist policing teams, and our Canine CPVs carry out a number of valuable tasks including helping to tackle illegal dog importation, dog theft, and irresponsible dog ownership.

"All of our Canine CPVs are animal lovers who are dedicated to securing the best outcome for dogs and their owners in Kent, and Sansa’s story is just one example of their commitment to the job."

Anyone who witnessed the collision involving Sansa on the M20 or has dashcam footage is urged to report it online at www.kent.police.uk/report quoting reference number 17-0495.