An abandoned dog is starting a new life this year after being found in a bag in a car park with a note saying "Help me please" before Christmas.

Animal rescue group Anim-Mates say Mavis was discovered when a couple heard faint cries coming from inside a holdall, which had been left on the roof of a car in a car park at Horsted Retail Park, off Maidstone Road in Chatham.

When they saw the hand-written plea for help attached to the bag they looked inside and found a tiny terrified dog and went to a nearby Pets at Home store to find help.

Assistant manager Laura Saxby promptly ran outside and took the mongrel to the in-house veterinary surgery, where she received treatment for the skin condition mange and a yeast infection, before being taken home for the weekend by store assistant Claire Couchman – who named her Mavis.

And Mavis’s luck turned around when Anim-Mates volunteer Lisa Inns happened to visit the store and heard about the episode. She said: "I asked what was going to happen to Mavis.

"As soon as I was told that the local dog warden would be asked to collect her on Monday, I offered to rescue Mavis on behalf of Anim-Mates."

The dog was then taken to a fosterer’s home for temporary care but immediately took to the fosterer’s own small dog and they quickly became inseparable.

The search for a new home was soon abandoned as the fosterer decided to adopt Mavis, thought to be about two years old – meaning the little dog has started the New Year in a new home, with a new owner and a new playmate.

Anim-Mates is a volunteer-run animal rescue group based in Ash near Gravesend.

Visit www.anim-mates.org.uk to find out more.