A dog has been rescued from the boot of a car on what was the hottest day of the year so far.
The trapped animal was spotted in a car outside a KFC in Southport near Liverpool on Thursday, where temperatures soared to 28C.
A passer-by told Sheryl Flint, who runs a popular lost-and-found Facebook page for pets in the local area, of their concern for the dog in the hot weather.
Ms Flint told the Standard that within minutes of her telling her followers about the situation, a man had volunteered to rescue the dog.
Si Molloy reached into the car via a slight gap between the window and the door frame, opened the door and took the dog out before giving it some water, Ms Flint said.
The dog had been in the car for about an hour, onlookers said - although the owner told them it was just ten minutes.
"People shouldn't be leaving their poor dogs in their cars, especially not in this hot weather," Ms Flint said. "It's not ok."
Mr Molloy could not immediately be reached for comment.
A statement on the RSPCA website says: "Never leave your dog alone in a car on a warm day. If you see a dog in distress in a hot car, dial 999.
"Many people still believe that it's ok to leave a dog in a car on a warm day if the windows are left open or they're parked in the shade, but the truth is, it's still a very dangerous situation for the dog.
"A car can become as hot as an oven very quickly, even when it doesn't feel that warm. When it's 22 degrees, in a car it can reach an unbearable 47 degrees within the hour."
