A fear of attack by dangerous dogs has led to a beauty spot becoming a "no go zone".

People say they will not venture into Heaton Woods until something is done to protect them from attacks by dogs being walked there.

John Tempest, chairman of the Land Management Committee of the Heaton Woods Trust, a charity set up to protect the woodland, said: "We have received numerous calls from people who used the woods on a regular basis saying they no longer feel safe to walk there.

"The Heaton Woods are a very popular beauty spot locally and our community is being prevented from benefiting from them because of a fear of being attacked by out of control dogs."

The fears were sparked after Sue Brown, of Heaton, was attacked in the woods by a Rotweiller which was off its lead.

Her right arm was injured in the attack, which left her with permanent scars both physical and psychological.

The man walking the dog fled from the woods after the attack, which is being investigated by police.

Miss Brown, 58, of Woodville Place, Heaton, said: "The impact of this attack has been life changing for me both physically and mentally.

"I have always walked in the woods, they are a huge part of my life, but not any more.

"I can't go in the woods now because of what has happened and it feels like part of me is missing but I am too frightened that I will be attacked again."

Miss Brown said the dog which she says attacked her has still been seen regularly in the woods, on and off its lead.

Mr Tempest said the Trust welcomed the Telegraph & Argus's petition to get the Dangerous Dogs Act changed.

He said: "Increasingly over the last few years guard dogs and other dangerous dogs have been free to roam and menace the public.

"It is time steps were taken at a legislative level to stop the menace of dangerous dogs."

The T&A Curb the Danger Dogs Campaign is calling for:

  • a compulsory registration scheme for all dogs to help establish a register for dangerous dogs and enable them to be monitored.
  • permanent compulsory micro-chipping of all dogs.
  • anyone convicted of owning a dangerous dog should have a lifetime ban on owning a dog.
  • the setting up of an accurate register of owners and their dogs.
  • the introduction of a fixed penalty notice for those who allow their dogs to stray.
HOW YOU CAN SIGN OUR PETITION

You can back our Curb the Danger Dogs Campaign by signing our petition, which will be submitted to the Home Secretary, John Reid.

We want to collect as many signatures as possible in the next month to show Mr Reid the strength of feeling in the district about the inadequacies of the Dangerous Dogs Act and to put pressure on him to better protect the public against dog attacks by acting on the changes to the law we have outlined on the petition.

You can support our campaign simply by adding your own name on the petition online at our publication's website www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk. Or you can print out the petition and ask family, friends and colleagues to sign as well. The more signatures we receive, the stronger our message.

But whatever you can do will add weight to our campaign and help to make it clear to Mr Reid the strength of public feeling regarding the desperate need to change the current law.

Remember, you need to return copies of the petition to the T&A (the address is at the foot of the form) by Thursday, October 12.

We will then submit all the forms we receive to the Home Office.

Click here to sign the petition on-line

Or click here to download a copy of the petition to print out