A dog was found abandoned and tied to a lamppost in the middle of the night.

The pooch was found by a member of the public in Panfield Road, Braintree, at 1am.

The Good Samaritan took him home to care for him overnight.

She then brought the Shih-Tzu to the RSPC’s Danaher Animal Centre, in Wethersfield, the following day.

Staff at the centre have now named the pup Astro.

He has been treated for an injury on his back and centre staff have given his coat a trim.

RSPCA trainee inspector Ann Bennett said: “The area around Panfield Road has lots of residential houses so we are hoping someone may come forward with information about this poor little dog.

“He is a lovely dog and a real hit with all the staff already - it’s hard to believe someone has just left him tied up alone in the cold.”

Astro, who does not have a microchip or any identification, was found abandoned at 1am on August 17.

Summer is the busiest season for the RSPCA and it sees an increased number of animals abandoned.

The charity received 10,449 calls about abandoned animals nationally between June and August last year – equivalent to five every hour.

Of those, 312 of these calls were from Essex.

Anyone with information which could help the investigation in Braintree should call the RSPCA appeal line on 0300 123 8018.

To help the RSPCA continue rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming dogs like Astro please donate by visiting www.rspca.org.uk/give.