When Melissa Wareham took a job at Battersea Dogs Home in 1988, she had no idea her love of canines would bring her face-to-face with Geri Halliwell, Bob Geldof and Kevin Spacey.

Her memoir, Rescue Me, published this week, is the heartwarming tale of her 15 years there, the characters she met and the very special dogs she found for them.

She said: “One moment you’d be interviewing lord and lady somebody, then someone of no fixed abode, then a celebrity.

“Every type of person will have a dog. They transcend class.”

One of her most moving encounters was with former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell, who arrived with her friend George Micheal.

She burst into tears when she found Harry, her shih-tzu who now appears in the tabloids, and handed over two tickets for the Brit Awards as a thank you.

Miss Wareham said: “She was no different to a lot of people who came to Battersea. We have these wonderful people who come to open their hearts and homes to one lucky dog, but they know they have to leave the others behind.”

Funnier moments included the famous actor Kevin Spacey being asked if he was able to meet his dog’s financial costs.

There were also chuckles when Bob Geldoff came to collect his lost dog and yelled: “Would you wake up, you lazy b*****. Daddy’s come to get you.”

From starting as a lowly kennel maid aged 18, Miss Wareham later became re-homing manager, appearing on Pet Rescue, the Big Breakfast, GMTV and Sky News.

Now 40 and living in Ravenslea Road, Wandsworth Common, she jotted down her memories after leaving and only thought of publishing when the notes spiralled into book-length.

Rescue Me is out in hardback on Thursday, July 16, priced at £12.99.

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