A TOTAL of 175 dog attacks were reported to Swindon Borough Council last year – an increase of 20 on the previous year.

Only one control order was made through the courts, although three others were dropped before they got to court.

Last year one dog was ordered to be destroyed and along two control orders were issued.

A borough council spokesman said the authority also had to deal with between 200 and 300 general complaints of nuisance.

The news comes after it was revealed there had been a 40 per cent increase in the number of attacks on postal workers due to the rise of online shopping.

Between 2017 and 2018 there were more 1,026 incidents in the where posties were attacked in gardens, up nearly 300 on the previous year.

“We have a working protocol with Wiltshire Police where generally serious attacks on a person are dealt with by the police,” said the spokesman.

“They also deal with section one dogs - that being banned breeds such as pitbulls - and minor incidents or dog on dog attacks are dealt with by us.

“However, that is not to say that the police cannot deal with these incidents, they have the same powers as us. And we also enjoy a good relationship with them where information is shared to assist in tracing problem owners and/or look for the most appropriate outcome.”

He added: “There are various things that have to be considered to take formal action and we range from noting the incident, giving a verbal or written warning, all the way up to court if applicable.”

In May it was announced that MPs would investigate the effectiveness of the 1991 Dangerous Dogs Act after the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee said there had been a 76 per cent increase in the number of hospital admission for dog attacks.

The RSPCA has also criticised the law, pointing out two thirds of the 30 people killed as a result of dog incidents between 1991 and 2016 had been attacked by dogs that were not banned breeds.

In July police appealed for witnesses after a jogger was bitten on the leg by a dog while he was running in Sevenfields.

Earlier in the year the National Trust became so concerned about repeated attacks on its flock at Badbury Rings resulting in several sheep having to be put down that it had to issue a request for dog owners to keep their pets on leads.

And in February the Adver reported on a civil court case involving a woman whose dogs were alleged to have harassed people at Coate Water, attacked other dogs and chased sheep. She signed an undertaking to keep the animals under control after the council told a judge it had been dealing with complaints about her since 2007.

Under the dangerous Dogs Act a dog can be said to be dangerous if a person fears they are going to be hurt, whether or not any injury is actually caused and it can happen on private as well as public land.The court can order a prison sentence, an unlimited fine and impose a destruction order for the dog. Anyone needing to report an out of control dog can visit the borough council’s website.