A sweltering dog was rescued from a car by police today after its owner left it locked inside.

A member of the public spotted the distressed animal shut in a Ford S-Max parked on Whitefriars Street in Canterbury at about 1pm.

Concerned animal lovers called police and officers forced the window, managing to free the dog by 1.25pm.

The owner did not return to the vehicle until 3pm, by which time the dog would have been locked in the car for more than two hours.

Police called the RSPCA who gave the dog water and checked it had not suffered any ill-effects.

According to the RSPCA, in 22C heat, a car can reach 47C in just an hour.

Temperatures today reached more than 35C, enough to buckle railway tracks and prompt health warnings.

Dogs are particularly vulnerable to heat stroke if left in hot cars because they regulate their body temperature by panting.

If they do not have enough fresh air, this become impossible and they quickly overheat.

The report comes after a warning from Sheppey RSPCA chairman Angela Walder about the dangers of leaving dogs in hot cars.

Ms Walder said: “People need to understand how hot it gets in cars, so do not under any circumstances leave your dogs in there unattended.

“Even if you open a window, it makes no difference.”

If anyone sees a dog a distress in a hot car, RSPCA advice is to dial 999.