This is the heartwarming moment a hapless stray puppy stuck in a dirty river was saved by kind workers.

The pooch had been roaming the edge of a bridge while searching for food when it slipped and fell into the water in Manila City, the Philippines on July 1.

It was struggling to paddle and stay afloat in the polluted currents until two workers passed by the animal and heard its desperate cries for help.

One of the workers balanced on the ledge to reach the dog while his colleague assisted him but the scared pooch swam away. It was finally pulled out when another worker arrived to help them.

Onlooker Shirley Ablaza said: ‘I was taking a selfie on our balcony when my cousin told me that someone was drowning in the river.

‘I went to have a closer look and realised it was a dog and there were people trying to save it. It was a touching sight. They saved the puppy’s life.’

The pooch was unhurt and taken to homes on a street nearby where it was cleaned by kind locals and given fresh food and water.

The three workers then left the animal to residents who will take care of the dog until someone adopts it.