Man fights off attempted dog snatch

A man out walking his two dogs in Telford managed to fight off an attacker who tried to snatch them from him, police today said.

Telford police spokesman Chris Ammonds said it happened at about 9.30pm on Saturday as a man was walking his two Jack Russell-cross dogs.

He said the owner was walking towards the garage at Trench Lock when he noticed a Ford Transit pick-up approaching from Sommerfield Road.

Mr Ammonds said: "An unknown man got out of the pick-up and asked the dog owner if he wanted to sell the animals.

"He was told they were not for sale, at which the man grabbed the dogs by the leads and shoved the owner away.

"The victim, however, threw a punch and the man hurled abuse at him before getting back in the Transit and speeding away."

Earlier this week it was claimed that dognappers were at large in the borough and stealing West Highland terriers to order.

Marian Peters, head nurse at the Companion Care veterinary practice in the Pets at Home store on the Wrekin Retail Park in Telford, claimed valuable, pedigree Westies had been stolen over the last three weeks.

Mr Ammonds said it was not possible to say whether the incident was linked to the reports of dognapping.