A man has been arrested at a Premier Inn in Hertfordshire after he allegedly left a dog in a car during a heatwave.

Police in the county said they were called to Premier Inn on Swanland Road, near the M25 South Mimms Services, after a member of the public spotted a Rottweiler inside a car with all the windows and doors shut.

The police launched a rescue effort today (Monday, July 18), when temperatures hit 35C in Hertfordshire before 2pm, and the call out followed a similar incident which took place in Stevenage over the weekend, according to Hertfordshire Constabulary.

A spokesperson for the force said: "Police were called at 12.52pm to reports of a Rottweiler trapped in a car in the car park of the Premier Inn in Swanland Road.

"The car's windows and doors were all shut. Officers arrived at the scene and found the dog in distress.

"They threw water over the dog and put it in their police vehicle with the air con on before taking it to the Royal Veterinary College.

"Upon arrival, the dog had a temperature of over forty degrees and he is currently still there receiving emergency treatment.

"The RSPCA have been contacted and a man has been arrested in connection with the incident."

The force added that dogs left alone inside a car on a hot day can quickly become dehydrated, develop heatstroke or die.

According to the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals charity, it is not illegal to leave dogs alone in cars, but the owners of animals which become ill or die in hot vehicles could be arrested on suspicion of animal cruelty offences.