A pair of struggling Staffordshire bull terriers were hauled to safety from the River Thames in Barnes last week.

Lifeboat crew at Chiswick RNLI spotted the two dogs drifting along the river on Monday, July 6, after being caught in a strong current.

The incident happened at 10.42am when a quick-thinking crew member pulled one of the canines from the water before launching the lifeboat to save the second.

The staffie was struggling to stay afloat near moorings in the middle of the river, near Barnes riverside.

Mark Turrell, helmsman at the station, said: "The dog, called Ollie, was very frightened and kept swimming away from the boat.

"He was extremely tired and had ingested a large amount of water therefore we had to grab him quickly.

"There was absolutely no energy left in him and once we got him on to the deck of the lifeboat, he rolled on to his side in exhaustion.

"We let the dog rest before reuniting him with his much relieved owners and advised they take him to see a vet as soon as possible."

The rescue mission came in the same week that Chiswick RNLI saved another distressed dog along the same stretch of river.

The dog, Nelson, could not be reached on land by its owner and was taken aboard the lifeboat.

Mr Turrell added: "When there is a dog in trouble, there is always a risk that the owner will go in after it and end up putting their own life in danger.

"If your pet enters the water, never attempt to follow it.

"Instead, find a safe place on the river bank and call your dog towards you.

"Dogs should always be kept on a lead if they’re close to fast-flowing rivers."