AN Unsworth woman has told of her terror after confronting two menacing dogs who had killed the family's pet rabbit.

Mrs Elaine Camm was unable to enter the garden of her home in Swinton Crescent for fear of being attacked by the growling animals.

And her plight was aggravated when she failed to get the police, RSPCA or Bury Council's dog warden service to respond to her plea for assistance.

Now, she is appealing for help in trying to trace the mongrels who savaged Blackie the pet rabbit to death.

"I'd just come back home from work after collecting my two-year-old son Jason and went to the back garden. Two dogs were lying down in the garden and as I approached them, they growled at me," she said. "I then realised the rabbit hutch was open and I saw over one of the dog's heads to discover the rabbit lying dead on the patio."

She immediately phoned her husband who in turn rang the police for help.

"He asked if someone could remove the dogs but was told they didn't have the resources to do that."

Calls to the RSPCA and dog warden service were met by answering machines. Minutes later, the police rang back.

"They said they didn't have the facilities to remove the dogs and then asked if I could bring them to the police station. I said I didn't want to go anywhere near them because they were so nasty."

Eventually, however, Mrs Camm's husband returned to the house and chased off the dogs with a garden fork.

The animals, both of whom wore collars with tags, vaulted over a fence and ran off towards Albert Road.

"But during that time, they were going for cats outside in the street and even those who were behind gates," continued Mrs Camm.

She feels that the killing of the pet rabbit was not an isolated incident and that the dogs may have been responsible for other attacks in the area.

"How do you explain to a two-year-old boy that his rabbit is dead?"

Now, Mrs Camm is appealing for anyone who knows the owner of the dogs to contact the local authority's dog warden service on 253 5566.