THE owner of three dogs, which were destroyed after an attack on a woman, has won her battle to have them buried.

Lisa Cowley, of Foster Court, Murton, County Durham, has been involved in a dispute with the owner of the kennels where the animals were held about her right to retrieve and bury the bodies of the Jack Russell, Staffordshire bull terrier and boxer.

Ms Cowley had reserved a plot at the Pet Haven Cemetery, in Kelloe, but kennel boss Kevin Forsyth told her last week she would not be allowed to retrieve their remains.

He said he could not agree to her request because he had been given an order from the court both to destroy and dispose of the dogs.

Ms Cowley arrived at the kennels yesterday morning, hoping to see her pets one last time before they were put to sleep.

She was accompanied by Linda Evans, owner of Pet Haven Cemetery, and three members of the Newcastle Animal Rights Coalition.

Mr Forsyth ordered everyone off the premises and called the police but eventually allowed Ms Cowley in to see the dogs.

She said: "I only had ten minutes with them and he would only let me see them through the fence.

"There was a policeman there and Kevin and another man from the kennels. It seemed way over the top because I just wanted to say goodbye to my dogs. I'm just pleased they are out of there now and are at rest."

They were destroyed later in the morning and will be buried at the Pet Haven Cemetery.

Ms Cowley denied her dogs savaged Narinder Batth as she walked to work at her newsagents shop in Murton.

But she was convicted of allowing the dogs to be dangerously out of control at Teesside Crown Court last month and a judge issued a destruction order last month