A DOG was freed from a hot car on one of the warmest days of the year.

Police officers were called to Sainsbury’s in South Street, Wareham on Wednesday (July 21) following a report of a dog in a car in the car park.

Concerns were raised as Dorset endures a heat wave, with temperatures in the high 20s. 

Staff members at Sainsbury’s were aware of the situation and ‘made a number of tannoy announcements’ in an attempt to find the dog’s owner was unsuccessful.

Police officers arrived at the scene and forced entry into the vehicle. The dog’s owner had also returned to the car park.

A spokeswoman for Dorset Police confirmed the dog was ‘safe and well’.

She said: “We received a report at 2.34pm on Wednesday, July 21 of a hot dog in a car at Sainsbury’s on South Street in Wareham.

“Officers forced entry to the vehicle. The owner returned to the car and the dog was safe and well.”

A spokeswoman for Sainsbury's said: "Our Wareham store is located near the car park and our colleagues put out a number of tannoy announcements in case the owner was shopping with us."