Jogger jumped in river to escape being killed by dog

Owner gets suspended sentence and pet destroyed

- Corey Ross

A JOGGER escaped being mauled to death by a dangerous dog by jumping into a river where she was trapped for 30 minutes, a court heard.

The out-of-control boxweiler - a boxer-rottweiler cross - has been condemned to death for the terrifying attack on Rachel Drew.

The victim had been running along the River Stour in Dorset with earbuds in when the animal pounced on her from behind.

It jumped on her shoulders and pushed her to the ground before clamping its jaws on her arm and dragging her across the grass.

A witness heard Rachel's "bloodcurdling" screams as the ferocious dog tore her flesh and "nearly ripped her arm off" at Canford Park in Poole on July 23 last year.

When the 15-month-old boxweiler called Frank finally let go she got up and jumped into the river to escape.

Frank paced the riverbank, "snarling" at Rachel, and went for her again when members of the public helped her out.

The loose dog then climbed on a three-year-old girl before witness Woodrow James stepped in and got it off of her.