Support for a helpless dog tied to a post in a Norwich park has flooded in as people dig deep to find the callous attackers.

Eastern Daily Press: Sloughbottom Park in Norwich where a dog was found tied up and abandoned.Picture by SIMON FINLAY.Sloughbottom Park in Norwich where a dog was found tied up and abandoned.Picture by SIMON FINLAY. (Image: Archant Norfolk.)

Spencer, a brown and white boxer cross, was abandoned with his legs tied together and string bound around his collar at Sloughbottom Park in Mile Cross.

After the Norwich Evening News offered a £500 reward, businesses and dog lovers have pledged a total of £2,100 to anyone who can provide information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.

And officers could be closing in on those who left the friendly and well-kept animal for dead as 10 calls reached investigators in just 24 hours.

PC Craig Bidwell said his team was pursuing two lines of inquiry around the ownership of the dog and finding the people responsible.

And although he described the investigation as 'challenging' he said the response had been good.

Spencer is now with the RSPCA.

People living in the area have spoken of their outrage at the heartless act.

Usually a safe and well-used park, the local community and dog-walkers there said they have been left shocked.

Krista Scarll, 18, from Hellesdon, walks her dog in the park regularly. But she said: 'Now I am not comfortable letting my dog off the lead.'

And Carol Grimwood, 63, from Mile Cross, said she can't understand why people could be so cruel to an animal.

With two dogs herself, she is outraged.

'It's absolutely disgusting. Whoever did it shouldn't be allowed to have a dog.

'This is a safe park, and nothing like this has ever happened before.'

Police said Spencer, named by the RSPCA and police officers, was found near to the skate park just before 6am on Saturday, where they believe he had been for several hours.

Officers looked after the dog at the scene and, once helped by a vet, were able to help move him safely to start receiving treatment.

He was found to be relatively healthy and around four-years-old.

But Spencer was in pain from being tied up, was not micro-chipped and was without any identification tags.

Anyone with any information about Spencer should contact police on 101 or the RSPCA on 0300 123 8018. And anyone who wants to give information anonymously should call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Have you recently reported a case of animal cruelty? Email reporter Rosa McMahon on rosa.mcmahon@archant.co.uk