A LANDLORD who was savaged by two guard dogs today welcomed the decisions to put the animals down.

John Barnes, landlord of the Havelock Inn, Havelock Street, Blackburn, was bitten by the dogs as he went to investigate smoke coming from a building late at night on June 20.

He told of his terror as first an Alsatian-rottweiler cross sank its fangs into his stomach and a rottweiler-doberman cross attacked his thigh.

"I was absolutely terrified and I am still very wary of dogs six months on," said Mr Barnes. "I managed to stay on my feet but I can't help thinking what would have happened if it had been a child that was attacked.

"I think it is the correct decision to destroy the dogs, they couldn't be trusted again and someone could be killed next time."

Lee Paul Critchley, 20, of Wellington Road, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to two charges of keeping a dog out of control which resulted in injury being caused. He was fined £400 with £70 costs and ordered to pay £500 compensation to Mr Barnes.

The magistrates ordered the destruction of the second dog after being told that the alsatian/rottweiler cross had already been put down by a vet. Jonathan Taylor, defending, immediately announced that the defendant would be appealing against the sentence to the Crown Court.

He said the first dog, Max, had been purchased as a guard dog and was kept at the unit. He said Mitzy was a family dog which lived at home and only occasionally went to the unit. He said the dogs were in the unit but not restrained at the time of the attack.

"The family was not expecting anyone else to be around at that time of night in what is not a residential area," said Mr Taylor. He said Max, who had led the attack, had already been destroyed. "Mitzy was guided by Max and went to assist him and the family hope you can draw a distinction between the two," said Mr Taylor.

"The family would be upset if they had to lose this particular dog and you could order that it be kept muzzled when in a public place."

Joanne Close, prosecuting, said Mr Barnes had been collecting glasses in the beer garden of his pub at about 10.45pm when he noticed smoke coming from a nearby building.

He said that he decided to investigate and as he walked up Stancliffe Street a large dog ran out of a unit and attacked him. "He was very frightened and the next thing he knew another dog joined in the attack," said Miss Close. "Mr Barnes felt a great deal of pain." She said Mr Barnes went to Blackburn Infirmary, where he was treated for bite marks and puncture wounds to his stomach and thigh.

Jonathan Taylor, defending, said the dogs had been inside the business premises of Dreamline Travel, Stancliffe Street, which is owned by Critchley's family.

Members of the family had been working at the time cleaning buses. He said there had been a history of problems with security in the area which was frequented by drug users and prostitutes.