A court has ordered that a Jack Russell and wire-haired terrier must be muzzled in public after they attacked another dog and injured its owner.

Matthew Heffer suffered a cut on his finger and a scratched leg after the two dogs attacked his Yorkshire terrier while he was walking it in Hanmer Avenue, Mildenhall, in August.

Bobby, the Jack Russell, and Snoopy, the terrier, were in the front garden of their owner Sandra Thompson’s house. After barking aggressively at Mr Heffer’s pet, Bobby leapt over a 4ft high picket fence and bit Mr Heffer’s dog on the tail.

As Miss Thompson, 65, came out to help, Snoopy ran out in front of her and joined in the attack, biting the Yorkshire terrier’s leg.

After hitting the dogs to get them off his pet, Mr Heffer lifted his dog up, but both Bobby and Snoopy started jumping up to keep biting the dog.

During these attacks, one of the dogs bit Mr Heffer’s finger, causing it to bleed, as well as scratching his leg.

Miss Thompson pleaded guilty to allowing both dogs to be dangerously out of a control in a public place during a hearing at West Suffolk Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

Bobby had been tied up in the front garden but had managed to escape.

The court ruled that the dogs must now be kept on a lead and muzzled when in public. When at home, they are only allowed to run free indoors or in the back garden with the gate locked.

Magistrate Jane Heard said: “These are obviously very serious offences, but these are the first offences that have been brought to the attention of the court.”

Bobby and Snoopy are now always kept in the back garden, and cannot escape to the front and get out on to the road.

In mitigation, lawyer Lyndon Davies said: “Miss Thompson has realised what the problem was and she has taken that action.”