A MAN rescued a dog from drowning in a river in York.

James Cain, 32, a staff member at Business Waste in Eboracum Way, had only been in work for an hour when he left the office to rescue a dog from drowining in the River Foss.

On Monday, August 23, at around 11am his colleague Leo Hunter, who was outside on his break, ran into the office to say that he had seen a dog jump into the river and it was now unable to get out.

James told The Press that without thinking he rushed out to try and help, and met the woman and two young children who owned the pet by the river bank.

He said: "I wanted to help because I'm a massive dog lover.

"He was quite a young but big dog, and had excitedly jumped in.

"The woman and children at the side of the river didn't know what to do because they couldn't reach him."

James stood on a rock by the river and lured the dog with a biscuit till he could reach his lead and hoisted him up to safety.

James added: "He was stuck to the sinking mud in the river and it took me around 10 to 15 minutes to get him out.

"He was shaken up and very wet but was he was fine.

"They (the woman and children) were really happy as they hadn't expected someone to come and save him."

Later that day, the family came by his office to drop off a box of doughnuts with a 'thank you' message inside.