A TREASURED family pet was torn apart while out for a walk on popular playing fields in a Rottweiler attack last week.

And the attack is the latest in a series of misfortunes to hit the dog's owners.

Max, a blind 14-year-old Yorkshire Terrier belonging to the Dake family, of Tonge Hall Close, was out for a walk on Tonge Hall field when the attack took place.

Dennis Dake, 53, said: "My lad, Ryan, took Max out for a walk on the field. As he got on the field there was another lad out walking a Rottweiler, which was off its lead without a muzzle and it just went for Max.

Ryan Dake, 22, said: "I tried to scoop Max out of the way but the Rottweiler knocked me out of the way and got Max in his mouth and started ragging him about like a rag doll. He's blind, so he never saw him coming. He didn't stand a chance.

"I was kicking and punching the Rottweiler on the back of the head trying to make it let go, but its jaws were locked. I put my hand over its mouth and my fingers up its nostrils and after about 30 seconds it let go."

Unfortunately, it was too late to save Max, but Ryan carried his little body home.

Ryan's mum, Yvonne Dake, said: "It was terrible, it was like a nightmare when he came in. He was covered in blood from head to toe. I can't get it out of my head, it's like a horror movie."

The dog belonged to Susan Yates, 50, who lives with the Dakes as part of an adult placement scheme.

Yvonne Dake said: "Susan came to live with us 16 years ago and we bought Max for her just after she arrived. She has learning difficulties and she's just been diagnosed with breast cancer. She's absolutely distraught, she just keeps breaking down.

"I think it devastated everybody to see Max like that. Nobody's got any tears left in them. It's been a horrible week."

Dennis Dake was upset with the police's response to the incident, saying: "They haven't done anything. As a family we're absolutely disgusted.

"There's dangerous dogs out on those fields without a muzzle. If they can do that to a dog, who's to say it won't be a little child next time? The police have just been fobbing us off."

A spokesman for the police said that under the dangerous dogs act it would only become a police matter if the owner of the Rottweiler was seen to have been encouraging the dog to attack Max.