A COUPLE are afraid to leave their house after a dog attacked their puppy.

Martin Townsend, and Bianca Jones's puppy Sisely was bitten in a ferocious attack by another dog near their Pembroke Park home.

Martin, 34, was also bitten in the attack while walking the Hungarian vizla pup on Saturday morning.

Another dog bit hold of Sisely's neck, almost killing her.

She needed emergency treatment and has had several stitches.

When Martin stepped in to stop his pet being mauled, his hands were also bitten.

The dog only gave up its vicious attack when two neighbours intervened.

Martin is still on antibiotics to prevent his wounds becoming infected.

Bianca, 33, said that the ordeal had left her too scared to venture out of the house in case the dog, which is believed to have been involved in a number of previous attacks, reappears.

She said that she could not believe the dog had been allowed to attack again after previous incidents.

Describing the attack, in Chicory Close, Bianca said: "This dog came out of the blue, attached itself to my puppy's neck.

"It's not the first time this dog has attacked. The dog needs to be put down or taken away.

"My dog nearly passed away and yet this dog is being allowed to wander around the streets, unleashed.

"What if my puppy dog had not survived or my partner's injuries were more severe? What if that was a child?

"Does it have to take this long, until something else happens, before something is done?"

Martin said that the owner of the dog stood by and watched while his pet savaged 10-month-old Sisely, without making any attempt to call his dog off or intervene. "It's totally out of control and the dog's still being allowed to roam the street," said Bianca.

"I am fully aware that dog services lack resources and that there are more urgent incidences to attend to.

"But what does it take to get some immediate action?"

Bianca said that she was angry that the dog had been allowed to attack more than once, but has asked her local councillor Colin Lovell, to investigate.

Councillor Colin Lovell said that he had spoken to the police and discovered that the dog's owner was known to the council's dog warden, because of previous incidents.

A spokesman for Swindon Council said: "This incident has been reported to us and a full investigation, in partnership with the police, is being carried out.

"This will result in appropriate action being taken against the owner of the offending dog."