A dog roasted to death outside one of Yorkshire’s most famous pubs as the animal’s owners enjoyed drinks and Sunday lunch this weekend, the RSPCA has revealed.

The RSPCA told how the brindle Staffordshire bitch died in agony outside the Woolpack, Esholt, which used to feature in Emmersdale.

The RSPCA spokesman said: “A seven-year old female Staffordshire bull terrier died after being left in a car outside while the owners had Sunday lunch.

“A woman and two men have been interviewed. We cannot say any more at this stage as it’s an ongoing investigation.”

However she stressed that pub would have been unaware as the death was only reported to the RSPCA after the car left Esholt.

RSPCA centres have beeen flooded with complaints from people who spotted animals suffering as temperatures soared.

Around 350 calls about animals trapped in hot cars came into the RSPCA’s National Control Centre over the weekend of July 6 and 7.

In another incident, a two-year old Rottweiler cross was pulled dead out of a hot car outside her owner's home in Bury, Greater Manchester. The RSPCA attended after a call from police just after 6pm on Sunday. A woman has been interviewed.

RSPCA North regional superintendent Martin Marsh said: “The death of those dogs was an avoidable tragedy.

“Leaving a dog in a hot car has the same kind of effect as putting it in a microwave. They are literally cooked alive, in what is a horrendous death.

“People just aren’t listening. Leaving a window open simply isn’t enough, and in-car temperatures rise quickly, even if it’s cloudy.”

He said the temperature inside a vehicle can soar within minutes when the outside temperature is cool. He said pet owners make the mistake of thinking it is sufficient to leave a bowl of water or a window open.