A frail pensioner died after being twice savaged in her kitchen by a police dog - which attacked her once and then broke free from its owner to bite her again, an inquest heard.

Irene Collins, 73, who was suffering lung cancer and emphysema, was attacked by Dano the police dog, which got into her property after being brought in to search her garden with its handler, PC Mark Baines.

After an unsuccessful attempt to locate a suspected drug dealer Dano burst through her back door and launched an attack that left Mrs Collins terrified and screaming.

A Cleveland Police sergeant told the hearing of his shock that having attacked her once, the dog then escaped PC Baines to 'lock on' to Mrs Collins a second time.

A jury as Teesside Coroner's court began hearing evidence of the attack on Mrs Collins in July 2014 at her home in Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire.

Floral tributes left for Irene Collins after she was attacked by police German shepherd Dano

PC Mark Baines was the handler of the dog which bit Irene Collins which was brought in to search her garden

Mrs Collins died four days later in the town's James Cook University Hospital. A Home Office pathologist Mark Egan found at the time that she would not have died if she hadn't been bitten by the dog.

Mrs Collins was able to give a brief description of what happened to a police inspector.

The hearing was told that from her hospital bed she said: 'I was in the kitchen when the dog came in. I thought if I stood still it would not bite me but it bit me on the arm. They got the dog off but it came back and got me by the leg.'

The inquest heard that, before the dog attacked Mrs Collins, a car collided with police vehicles and two suspects were arrested. Another fled.

Around £100,000 in cash and heroin was recovered from the car.

They were stopped in the car which collided with police vehicles and two suspects were arrested while the other one fled.

Police dog Dano, his handler PC Baines and a Cleveland force helicopter set out to find the fleeing suspect.

PC Neil Yates told of the desperate scenes after the dog attacked Mrs Collins in her home in Middlesbrough

Sgt Neil Yates, an armed response officer who arrived at the scene, gave evidence today.

He said he heard PC Baines say over the radio that 'the householder has been bitten'.

Describing what he saw at her home, Sgt Yates said: 'Mrs Collins was lying on the floor with her head facing towards me as I came into the back of the house.

'I could see she had a small cut to her face and head and I could see Dano the police dog was biting her on the right forearm.

'She was lying on the floor and the dog was over the top of her. PC Baines had hold of the dog by its collar and was shouting: 'leave!'

'Mrs Collins was on her side with one arm in the dog's mouth, she was lying on her left side.

'PC Baines had Dano by the collar, Dano was wearing two collars and he had him by the larger more substantial one.

'Looking down to her right lower leg she had an injury to her leg. I came to the conclusion the dog had also bitten her there, there was quite a lot of blood on the floor.

'It took a little bit of time, a couple of seconds. I was shouting 'get the dog off' and he was shouting 'leave'.'

'It then did leave her and he dragged it onto the hallway. I was trying to reassure her that she was alright. I called for a medic kit from the police car.

'My intention was to get down and start treating her injuries until the ambulance arrived.'

Pensioner Irene Collins died after she was bitten by a police dog brought to her house in this street in Middlesbrough when officers were searching for a suspected drug dealer

He described his shock as he realised the dog had broken free from its handler and again began savaging Mrs Collins.

Sgt Yates said: 'PC Baines asked me to close the doors between the hallway and the kitchen but I realised it was an arch and there were no doors.

'I was taking my gloves from my vest and Mrs Collins was still lying on her left side. The police dog came back into the kitchen and the dog again bites the right leg of Mrs Collins, again it locks onto her leg, it bites down and stays attached as it were.'

Asked by coroner Karin Welch: 'What did you think when the dog came back into the kitchen?'

Sgt Yates replied: 'Frankly, how the hell is this back in here?' He continued: 'I was shouting to PC Baines to get the dog off, Mrs Collins was screaming, she was upset and asking 'why is this happening to me?'

'I was trying to reassure her whilst telling PC Baines to get the dog off her. I held her hand and told her 'it is ok we are getting the dog off you'.'

He said that in his opinion neither he nor Mrs Collins did anything to antagonise the dog.

Matthew Donkin, representing Mrs Collins' family at the hearing, asked Sgt Yates, who was armed at the time with a pistol: 'Did you think shooting the dog?'

He replied: 'I considered all options but that was not an option that was anywhere near viable. I was confident the officer wuld get the dog off within a reasonable time.'

Home Office pathologist Mark Egan recorded the cause of death as cardio respiratory failure due to COPD, cancer of the lungs and dog bites.

Teesside's assistant coroner Karin Welch said: 'Dr Egan recorded at the time she would not have died when she did - notwithstanding her medical difficulties - had it not been for the dog bites. You will hear from him when he gives evidence in due course.'

The hearing continues.