A DANGEROUS dog which attacked a newspaper del-iverer has been seized by police after being tracked down by the Lancashire Telegraph.

The 14-stone bull mastiff, named Tyson, had been made the subject of a destruction order after it bit Anita Southworth as she completed her round in Shadsworth, Blackburn.

The dog's owner, 19-year-old Kaine Slater, of Martindale Close, told Blackburn magistrates he had given the dog to somebody else and did not know where it was.

But Telegraph investigations revealed that it had been given to a man who said he had bought the dog without knowing about its history - and was living less than half a mile from its original home.

After a tip-off from the Lancashire Telegraph, three police officers and three dog wardens attended the house in Rothesay Road yesterday and took the animal away. It was later put down by a vet.

The order for the animal's destruction was made after it burst through a set of locked patio doors before attacking Mrs Southworth in September. The 39-year-old, of Talbot Street, Rishton, tried to defend herself using her delivery bag but she was left needing hospital treatment after the dog sank its teeth into her upper leg and hand.

Blackburn Magistrates Court heard that it had also previously attacked a postman and its owner was threatened with a £5,000 if he did not co-operate with police attempts the trace the animal.

When the Lancashire Telegraph approached the new owner - who told police that he had bought the dog for an undisclosed amount six weeks ago - he said his dog had never attacked anyone and that he always kept it on a lead.

Officers went to the property at 1.30pm to seize the dog but the owner was not in.

Friends who gathered at the scene said that they were not aware of it attacking anyone but that it had gone for' several people in the past.

When the owner arrived he agreed to lead the dog out to the waiting van so that it would stay calm.

However, he was visibly upset with Mr Slater, who also arrived at the scene. He swore at him, saying: "Thanks for (not) letting me know Kaine - I would never have bought him off you in the first place."

Sgt Graham Brownsmith, who co-ordinated the dog's removal, said: "It is unfortunate when we have to seize an animal. In this case it was apparent from the history of attacks that this was necessary.

"I am pleased to say that the current keeper of the dog co-operated fully with us, enabling the dog to be brought out of the premises with the least amount of distress to both the owner and the animal."

He added: "I would like to thank the Lancashire Telegraph for assisting us in locating the dog."

Kaine Slater's mother, Alison Slater, 39, also of Martindale Close, was responsible for the dog at the time of the attack and was fined £400 for failing to keep it under control. She was also banned from keeping a dog for five years.

His solicitor told the court that the family had looked into having the dog put down but that it would have cost £200 so they had given it away. Mr Slater told the court that he no longer knew where it was.