THREE dogs suspected of carrying out a frenzied attack on a County Durham mother-of-three have been impounded in secure kennels.

Forensic examinations will be carried out on the animals, who were seized by officers during a search of the former pit village of Murton.

Inspector Paul Garfoot, of Seaham police, confirmed last night that officers will shortly be speaking to the owner of the dogs.

Narinder Kaur Batth, 43, was attacked as she walked along a footpath towards her newsagents shop in Murton.

She needed 300 stitches after suffering scores of wounds.

Although Mrs Batth's condition was last night reported as "comfortable", it is expected she will remain in hospital for several days.

Slightly-built Mrs Batth was walking along a footpath towards her shop when she was set upon by three dogs - a black Staffordshire bull terrier, a boxer or bull mastiff, and a Jack Russell.

The attack, which left the Mrs Batth blood-soaked and badly injured, lasted ten minutes.

Only the intervention of a group of workers from a nearby site and a passing motorist, who armed themselves with sticks and scaffolding pipes, drove off the pack.

Site foreman at contractors Clancy, David Hall, used a company van to help chase the dogs away and believes that, without their intervention, Mrs Batth would not have survived the onslaught.

The traumatised victim was initially taken by ambulance to Sunderland Royal Hospital, but was later transferred to a specialist unit in Shotley Bridge Hospital, in north-west Durham, where she underwent surgery to clean up the extensive wounds to her arms and legs.

Immediately after the attack, schools were warned to keep pupils inside during break times and parents were advised to keep their children indoors.

An initial sweep of the former mining community drew a blank but officers continued their investigations yesterday, which resulted in the impounding of three dogs which police confirmed all belonged to one person.

The owner could face a charge of having a dog dangerously out of control in a public place, or of being the keeper of a dangerous dog