A MAN who was mauled by a dog during a terrifying three-minute attack today claimed his hand was saved by a treasured ring.

The attack took place in Rishton while Terry O'Toole was walking with his partner, her 10-year-old son and their own dog.

He underwent two operations to sew the little finger back onto his left hand -- and says his hand was saved by a ring his sister gave him before she died of cancer..

Mr O'Toole said the dog, which he said looked banned American Pit Bull Terrier, leapt on his Staffordshire Bull Terrier, BJ.

The unemployed transport manager said he was trying to pull the dogs apart when the rogue dog turned on him.

Reliving the ordeal he said: "I was terrified. All I could think about while the dog was attacking me was the safety of my partner's little boy. The dog is evil and I want it destroyed."

Mr O'Toole, 37, was released from hospital on Sunday, a week after the attack. He said doctors operated twice to save a finger that was almost severed from his left hand.

He added: "The only thing that saved my little finger was a ring given to me by my sister. Before Alison, 26, of Rishton, died of cancer she gave her wedding ring to me.

"I have always treasured the ring and the doctors said it had saved my digit and made the dog let go of my hand. I had two operations and had to be transferred to Royal Preston Hospital for plastic surgery.

"The second operation took over four hours."

Police said they were investigating the incident and an officer went to speak to Mr O'Toole at his home in Alan Critchlow Way, Rishton, last night.

Mr O'Toole said more needed to be done to protect the public from dangerous dogs. Last year 3,400 people were hospitalised after dog attacks - a 25 per cent rise over the last five years.

Last year a Burnley woman was jailed after her dogs attacked a seven-year-old boy.

Jacqueline Cox, 38, accepted responsibility for five of the seven animals involved in the attack on Sam Leverett.

And a Blackburn woman is due to appear before Magistrates after her town Bull Terriers recently attacked an 11-year-old girl.

American Pit Bull Terriers were banned in the United Kingdom when the Dangerous Dogs Act was introduced in 1991.

An RSPCA spokesman confirmed the dogs do still exist in this country but added: "Any American Pit Bull Terrier would have to have been registered prior to the Act becoming law.

"They also have to be muzzled and on a lead in public."

Mr O'Toole added: "No-one should have to go through what I did. They should make an example of these types of dog and have them put down immediately."

Out of control dogs can be seized by police or local authority officers and the owners faces a fine or up to six months in prison.

If the dog injures someone, the sentence can be increased to up to two years.

The courts also have the power to destroy the animal if they feel it is a danger to public safety.

The National Canine Defence League (NCDL) said it was against breed specific legislation and believes it is "the deed not the breed" that should be punished and is against the destruction of any healthy dog.