A puppy is recovering at home after a jogger swooped to his rescue from the fast-flowing River Thames near Kew Gardens.

Fudge, an eight-month-old cockapoo, was being taken for a walk, but the excitable youngster skidded down the steep embankment into the water.

Passers-by rushed to help the owner, Marguerite Mungovan, who edged her way down the embankment to try and reach the puppy without success.

Thankfully Yousef Al-Asfour sprung into action and after assessing the situation used a nearby ladder to get closer to the furiously paddling puppy.

When Fudge swam close enough, Yousef managed to swoop him up by his collar and carry him back up the ladder and into the waiting arms of his owner who in turn thanked him.

The video at the top of this story shows how the dramatic events unfolded.

Marguerite told Richmond Nub News: "I was so worried when Fudge first slipped in and it only got worse when I realised I couldn't reach him myself.

"Fudge has paddled around in a few ponds before, but has never been out of his depth. The fact that he was able to swim towards our calls and actively tried to get to Yousef and help was such a relief.

"We were so lucky that Yousef was nearby and were delighted with how well he handled the situation. He received a few scratches while negotiating the rescue, but insisted he was just very happy to have been able to help."

Yousef, who lives in St Margarets, said: "I was worried at first because we couldn't reach Fudge. I am just happy that he is safe and well."

Marguerite took young Fudge to a vet in Twickenham for a check-up after his scare. The vet reported that the only injuries were some slight damage to his front nails from trying to climb the hard embankment.

Fudge is now resting up at home and being kept well away from any nearby waterways for the foreseeable future.

The video was captured by a passer-by, Charmaine Evans, on Thursday morning, who said she was "so pleased" that Fudge had survived the ordeal.