KIND-HEARTED volunteer police officers came to the rescue of a stranded dog when they spotted it running across a busy road.

Special Constables Katy Barlow and Michael Mihalyfi gave up their Saturday to spend time responding to incidents and patrolling across Braintree.

While driving along the A120, the watchful pair spied a small dog running in the road.

They quickly brought the traffic behind them to a halt, allowing the two officers to get the terrified canine to safety.

The pair said they approached the dog slowly as it was visibly shaking.

Plucking the bewildered pup from the ground, they whisked it out of harm's way before allowing the drivers to resume their journeys.

"It was literally perfect timing when we saw the little dog," said Katy.

Unsure of how to find the owner, Katy and Michael placed the pooch back on the ground.

Remarkably, the dog followed its nose, leading the two officers to a house.

A helpful neighbour told the pair the owners had popped out, and offered to look after the dog until they returned.

Katy made sure to leave a note for the owners, letting them know what had happened, before resuming her patrols.

She said: "After a cuddle and a game of fetch we left it with a willing neighbour and carried on with our shift.

"It's not what we were expecting to come across while on duty today, but I am glad we were there at the right time to help the playful pup."

Essex Police are on the lookout for volunteers willing to sign up as Special Constables.

Specials have the same powers, uniform and role as regular officers, but shape the role around their own personal lives.

A spokesman said: "Every shift is different and our Specials are trained to deal with a variety of incidents."

For more information, visit essex.police.uk/specials