Bruce the dog - who was found battered and beaten near Carlisle - will feature in a new Channel 5 series.

The Dog Rescuers will air on TV tonight at 7pm featured the horrific attack on bull lurcher Bruce who made headlines across the country after he was found beaten, dumped and left for dead.

Bruce was found wandering in a village on the outskirts of Carlisle in August 2018. He was rushed to the vets where he needed life-saving surgery.

RSPCA inspector, Sam Morris, said: "I was absolutely gobsmacked at what I saw. I've worked for the RSPCA for 10 years and I don't think I've ever seen anything that awful.

"We know Bruce had been in that condition for a number of days before he got the vet treatment he needed. The pain that he must have been in is unimaginable. He was losing the will to carry on."

In the first episode of the new series, presenter, Alan Davies says it was a "miracle" that Bruce survived and recovered from his ordeal.

The crossbreed had a deep hole in the top of his skull and puncture wounds in the side of his face - thought to have been caused by being beaten with a bit of wood with a nail sticking out, as well as burns to his tail.

"You really question what kind of person could do this," added Sam.

"Vets said the side of his face had been caved in and described the damage to his skill as dramatic."

Bruce's emergency surgery took three-and-a-half hours to repair his fractured skull and treat the infection in his head caused by suspected splinters from the wood used to beat him. His skull had been "shattered" and he couldn't open his jaw.

Sam continued: "Bruce is a fighter. As soon as he woke up from surgery his tail was wagging.

"New owner Marie Coleman, who was working at the vet surgery when Bruce was admitted, said it was love at first sight. She fostered him once he was strong enough and has now adopted him.

She explained: "He has settled in very well. He loves home life. He's so special.

"Bruce is 100 per cent happy in life and he's made our lives 100 per cent better."

To help the RSPCA continue rescuing dogs visit www.rspca.org.uk/give.