“Dogs in public places should be wearing a collar and lead” - this is opinion of a dog owner whose miniature dachshund was killed in a dog attack last week.

Margaret Ankrett and her husband Martin were walking 13-year-old Engle along Station Road in Ditichingham on Tuesday, July 14 when the terrible incident happened.

Mrs Ankrett said: “We had stopped and stood outside our friend’s house to talk to him and a van was sitting outside the next bungalow. The collie type dog just jumped out the van and made for Engle.”

The dog was not wearing a collar or lead and this made it hard for the dog’s owner and Mr Ankrett to get it off of Engle.

“My husband tried to get the dog off Engle but couldn’t,” said Mrs Ankrett. “He just grabbed my dog and we couldn’t pull him off because there was nothing for the owner to grab. My dog was screaming. It was terrible. My husband got his finger bite in the process and eventually we got the dog off.”

Engle was taken straight to the vets but unfortunately his injuries were too severe and he had to be put down.

She said: “The vets were marvellous but there was nothing they could do for him. It’s terrible without Engle. We keep saying, ‘why weren’t we able to get the dog off?’”

Mrs Ankrett is now concerned about dogs not wearing collars and leads in public places and believes dog owners must be made to protect the public and other dog owners.

She said: “This dog could do it again to another dog or it could be a child. It could have been a child that day.

“If I had the strength, I would campaign that dogs in public places should be wearing a collar and lead. You can’t trust any dog completely.

“My little dog was healthy and happy and I would like for someone else to not go through what we have.”

A spokesman for Norfolk Police said they are currently investigating the situation.