The emaciated body of a dog was found in an abandoned van in Uxbridge on New Year's Eve by a passer-by.

The dog's tail and foot were trapped inside the door of the Ford Transit van, which was discovered at 1pm on Sunday (December 31) in Chapel Lane.

The female tan-coloured lurcher's emaciated body was found lying in filth alongside just a saw and a grasscutter, the RSPCA said.

WARNING: This article contains graphic images of animal cruelty below.

It is not sure if dog was dead when it was dumped in the van or if it died as a result of the "incredibly distressing" injuries, the animal charity added.

Two men were reported to have left the van in Chapel Lane on Christmas Eve, the RSPCA said, and a dog was heard barking from inside the vehicle. It is not known if this was the same dog.

The tan female lurcher was not microchipped and RSPCA have appealed for help to find out how it ended up in this condition

RSPCA Inspector Anthony Puffer said: “It was incredibly distressing to see such an upsetting sight with the poor dog’s foot and tail trapped in the door.

The female lurcher was found in filthy conditions in an abandoned Ford Transit van

“I’m very concerned about the circumstances surrounding her death. She was emaciated and I suspect she suffered before dying.

"It’s almost too horrific to imagine that someone could have slammed her leg and tail in the door while she was still alive and just left her to die.

The dog's tail and foot were trapped in the van's door

“Unfortunately she did not have a microchip and attempts to trace the owner of the van by police have proved unsuccessful, so we are desperate to hear from anyone with any information which could prove useful to our investigation.”

Anyone with information should call the RSPCA inspector appeal line on 0300 123 8018.

Keep up to date with the latest news in west London via the free getwestlondon app.

You can set up your app to see all the latest news and events from your area, plus receive push notifications for breaking news.

Available to download from the App Store or Google Play for Android .