A MAN savaged by a pack of dogs on a lunchtime park walk has been left scarred for life.

Keith Manifold needed plastic surgery and more than 60 stitches after the January attack in Blackburn's Witton Park, the town's magistrates court heard.

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In a statement he said only his heavy work clothing saved him from worse damage than the 20 separate puncture injuries he suffered.

Mr Manifold, who works as a builder for Blackburn with Darwen Council, said he dreaded to think what would have happened if the victim had been a child.

The 44-year-old was in hospital for three days after the attack and will remain scarred for life.

Owner Susan Howson, 48, of Parklands Way, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to four charges of having a dog dangerously out of control, three relating to the Cane corsos breed, also known as Italian mastiffs, and one to a cross breed terrier.

She was ordered to do 40 hours unpaid work, pay Mr Manifold £1,000 compensation, £3,300 kennel fees, £185 costs and £85 victim surcharge.

The magistrates made contingent destruction orders on all four dogs, which mean they will be destroyed unless Howson complies with requirements to keep them muzzled and on a lead in public and does not take more than one large dog and the small dog out at any one time.

In his victim impact statement Mr Manifold said: "I had puncture wounds all over my body despite wearing four layers of clothing on top and heavy work trousers.

"It made me think what if it had been a child."

He said the big black dog which led the attack was too big and strong for Howson to control

The magistrates were told Howson had no financial means other than her husband.

She had paid £10,000 for one of the cane corsos which had been protection trained before she took delivery.

Peter Bardsley, prosecuting, said Mr Manifold was working on a house in Buncer Lane on January 16 and at lunch time had walked into Witton Park.

He passed Howson, who was talking to a man who had a dog on a lead. None of the defendant’s dogs were on leads.

As he passed, the small terrier started snapping at his ankles but he wasn't bothered because he was wearing heavy boots and thick work trousers.

He told Howson the dog should be on a lead but she didn't react.

Mr Bardsley said: "When he had walked on a few metres he heard a female shouting at a dog to come back and turned round to see a big black dog running towards him.

"It approached, snarling, and the other three dogs also came running over."

Mr Bardsley told how the first dog called Arlo jumped up on Mr Manifold's chest and started biting him.

The other dogs joined in and he eventually ended up face down on the floor.

He told police he remembered thinking he needed to get up because if they got hold of his head or neck he would be in trouble.

Mr Manifold eventually managed to get to the park pavilion where he was given first aid by a staff member and an ambulance was called.

He spent three days in Royal Preston Hospital after having more than 60 stitches put in his wounds and plastic surgery on three separate parts of his body.

Harry East, defending, said Arlo was not an attack dog.

He said the animal's training should have resulted in it responding to the commands of the owner to come back.

Mr East said: "She made immediate attempts to intervene and control the situation.

"The dogs had never been aggressive before and this was an isolated incident. My client is a responsible dog owner."

Mr East said one of the cane corsos was a rescue dog which had only come to her shortly before the incident.

He said: "My client feels that dog has upset the pack balance and she is now trying to re-home that dog."

Cllr Damian Talbot, the council's leisure boss, said: “This kind of incident is extremely rare.

"It stresses the need for owners to keep their dogs under proper control in public places."

Mr Manifold had five weeks off work before a four-week phased return to his job after the incident from which he appears to have made a complete recovery.