A woman has been arrested after a dog was allegedly thrown into a river with a large rock tied to her neck.

The Belgian Shepherd named Bella was discovered drowning by a member of the public in the River Trent in Nottinghamshire, England.

The quick-thinking passerby waded into the water before pulling the struggling animal back to shore.

When officers from Nottinghamshire Police arrived, they discovered a large rock inside a carrier bag had been tied to her lead.

She was taken to a local vet for treatment and a check of her microchip revealed she was last known as Bella.

But officers said her name may have been changed by a previous owner.

Police Constable Pace urged anyone who was in the area to check their CCTV and dash-cam footage to help their investigation.

He said: ‘This was an evil and nasty thing to do to this poor dog and we are making every effort to find out who is responsible.

‘We are lucky that the kind member of the public found and rescued her.

Since the public appeal for information, a 31-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of animal cruelty.