Nine adorable puppies were left "extremely sick" after being found dumped in a plastic bin in a field during scorching hot temperatures near Hillingdon .

Animal rescuers said it was "touch and go" for the small animals after they were found by a RSPCA inspector inside a plastic bin in June last year.

The puppies, a mixture of different breeds, were found in Gerrards Cross, in Buckinghamshire, near Harefield and Uxbridge , after the RSPCA received a call about someone selling puppies from a van nearby.

RSPCA inspector Mel Fisher, who took the anonymous call, said: “I’d received reports of someone selling extremely sick puppies from the back of a van in Gerrards Cross so I went to investigate.

“I found a van dumped nearby and, tucked behind some nearby bushes, a large plastic bin with nine puppies inside. It was during a hot spell so they were panting and really quiet because they were in such baking heat.”

Nine puppies were found dumped in a plastic bin during scorching weather

The puppies were taken to a nearby vets before they were moved to the RSPCA’s Blackberry Farm Animal Centre in Aylesbury. A few weeks later, they were "the picture of health and happiness".

“They’re doing really well,” Ms Fisher added. “When they first came in they were lethargic and quiet, they had diarrhoea and we were quite worried.

“[When we rescued them] they were so un-puppy like, they were very quiet and very thirsty, and to see them now acting like proper puppies causing chaos is just lovely because they are little personalities again, which is brilliant.”

The puppies - named Agnes, Barbara, Cheryl, Davina, Denise, Jerry, Jim, Joey and Norman - were split into groups according to their sizes and play styles.

The two smallest, spaniel Agnes and pug Norman, were paired off because they liked to play.

“Poor little Norman got bullied a little bit so now we’ve separate them they are getting on great,” she added.

“The biggest dogs are Davina and Jim. They are much more boisterous to we have to separated them from the little ones. They are full of life, they just play all day."

Jim one year after being dumped in a plastic bin

Ms Fisher launched an investigation into how the dogs ended up in the bin but, sadly, hit a dead end. But, after some time in RSPCA care, all of the puppies were soon back to health and were adopted by new families.

“It’s been a year since we rescued those puppies and I’m so pleased that they’re now all in lovely new homes,” Ms Fisher said.

“Later this month I’ll be reunited with them all when they return to Blackberry Farm for the annual fun day to take part in the Hero Parade.

“It’ll be lovely to see them all back together and to see them thriving in their new homes.”