A puppy has been rescued after becoming trapped underneath a harbour in North Ayrshire.

The husky was found nearing the point of exhaustion on Monday evening and it was clear she had been in the water for some time.

Ardrossan Coastguard Rescue Team was called out to Irvine harbour shortly after 5pm.

A water rescue operator was deployed by the team with a floating line ready to be attached to the dog, which appeared to be wearing a harness.

Once safely on dry land, the pup was wrapped up in a dog blanket donated by a member of the public.

Other bystanders donated dog biscuits, blankets and water for the tired dog, which quickly began to show signs of improvement.

She is now in the care of the Scottish SPCA and police in Irvine.

Witness Rachel Dewar said: "If it wasn't for the man who first arrived calling the coastguards, who knows what would have happened. I'm just glad she's OK."

Speaking on their Facebook page, the coastguard team said they were grateful for the public's support.

They wrote: "This was a successful and well rehearsed rescue operation, albeit the casualty was a bit smaller and furrier than we are used to.

"We are grateful for the help provided by the members of the public who provided dog snacks and blankets which made the overall rescue that little bit easier.

"We would also like to thank the first informant who done the right thing by contacting the coastguard."

They added: "Dogs are wonderful animals and there's always a human instinct to try to help when they are injured or in trouble however this can quickly lead to people also getting into difficulty themselves - especially if they enter the water.

"We would always urge the public to keep themselves safe and never attempt a rescue by themselves in these circumstances and always dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard."