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A woman badly injured in a dog attack has spoken of her anger after a court allowed her neighbour to keep the ‘vicious’ pets.

Angela Thorley has been left with a permanently numb finger after a Staffordshire Bull Terrier-type dog bit her on the hand as she tried to protect her own collie-cross Iggy.

The 43-year-old had hoped the Staffie and a second dog which also attacked Iggy would not be returned to their owner, Georgia Smith, after they were confiscated following two incidents earlier this year.

But now Angela, who suffered three fractures to her hand in the attack, has been left dismayed after magistrates agreed the dogs could be go home to Smith – so long as they are muzzled and kept on a lead in public.

Speaking after the hearing, Angela, who lives next door to Smith at Cheddleton Heath, said: "Everyone lives in fear of her dogs.

"We were told by the police that she wouldn't get the dogs back but she has. We are so disappointed.

"Her dog would have killed ours if I hadn't intervened.

"For two years while she has had the dogs we haven't been able to use our garden because of them.

"While they have been gone our lives have been back to normal, but now she is getting them back.

"I am still having to go to the fracture clinic every two weeks, I haven't driven since March and I won't get full feeling back in my finger.

"The attacks have traumatised our dog. It's only a matter of time before it happens again. It’s a joke.”

North Staffordshire Justice Centre heard that in the first incident, on March 21, Angela was returning home when Smith's dogs - described as 'a Staffordshire bull terrier type' and a 'mixed breed German Shepherd' - went for Iggy.

Prosecutor Muneeb Akram said: "Two dogs belonging to the defendant attacked a dog belonging to her neighbour.

"The neighbour tried to intervene and remove the defendant's dog from her dog. At that point the bull terrier-type dog released its grip and turned towards her. It bit her on the left hand and held on for a few seconds."

The court heard Angela was left with a puncture wound on her middle finger and three small fractures to the side of her hand. Her dog received injuries to its leg and ear during the incident.

The matter was reported to the police, but three months later - on June 29 - Smith's dogs escaped from her garden to the property next door, where Ms Thorley lives.

Mr Akram said: "The defendant's neighbours were at home when the same dogs, belonging to the defendant, got through into their rear garden.

"The neighbours' dog was attacked by the two dogs. They pinned him down, and bite marks were caused to his chest."

Smith, of High Lane, Cheddleton Heath, pleaded guilty to two charges of being the owner of a dog dangerously out of control. She has no previous convictions.

Mark Holder, mitigating, said Smith was a carer for her partner, who has a degenerative condition.

He added: "The defendant accepts full responsibility even though, in practice, the responsibility was not always hers. There have been occasions when her partner has not realised he's left doors open and let the dogs out.

"There is no pattern of offending. Nothing has ever happened before."

Magistrates handed Smith a 12-month community order with a 10-day rehabilitation activity requirement. She must pay a total of £334 compensation to the victim, plus an £80 fine, £135 court costs and an £85 victim surcharge.

A court order was also imposed on Smith to ensure she keeps the her pets under control.

Among its conditions, it states that Smith must keep the dogs muzzled and on a lead in public, keep them in a 'secure location' and take them for behavioural training.