A WOMAN was savaged by her neighbour’s dog similar to the type made famous by the film ‘Turner and Hooch’.

Blackburn magistrates heard the ‘extremely large’ Dogue de Bordeaux called Tye repeatedly bit Donna McKno as she was walking her own dog.

She was taken to hospital where she received a local anaesthetic and morphine as her wounds were stitched.

The self-employed artist later told police that three months after the incident her physical injuries had not fully healed and she was still mentally scarred.

But magistrates who heard details of the attack and read a report from a dog behaviour expert declined to order the dog’s destruction.

However they imposed a contingent order under which the animal must be castrated and which requires owner Nikki Griffin to exercise extreme control over the dog.

Griffin, 33, of Oakdene Avenue, Huncoat, pleaded guilty to allowing a dog to be dangerously out of control. She was ordered to pay £300 compensation.

The order means the dog will be destroyed unless it is castrated, microchipped, muzzled and kept on a lead at all times in public, must always be under the control of a person over the age of 18, must not be sold or exchanged without providing details to the police and the owner must take out third-party liability insurance, notify the police of any change of address and take the dog to obedience training.

Peter Wild, prosecuting, said the victim was walking her own dog when Tye ran out of her neighbour's garden and attacked.

“This is an extremely large dog and it repeatedly bit its victim,” said Mr Wild.

“Three months after the incident her leg hasn’t fully healed and she still has nerve damage.

“For eight weeks she couldn’t drive and for some time couldn’t sit down because of the pain.”

The court heard she also had dreams about being attacked by the dog and when she see ones not on a lead it ‘freaks her out’.

Gareth Price, defending, said his client had been brought up with dogs and was a founder member of a stray dog charity in Hyndburn.

“There have been no previous incidents with this dog and when she ran outside and saw what was happening she was able to regain control of the animal by calling it, she didn’t have to grapple with it,” said Mr Price.”This is not an irresponsible dog owner and the RSPCA, who carried out a welfare check, had no concerns about the way the dog was being looked after.”