THE owners of two reprieved rottweilers wept in court yesterday as magistrates spared the lives of the dogs after they were accused of savaging a postman.

Magistrates found that rottweilers, Shadow and Storm, had not attacked Ivan Pye after owner Dawn Knight went to extraordinary lengths to prove her beloved pet innocent.

The mother-of-two contacted two dog psychologists to give evidence on their behalf - and even tried to get an x-ray of 11st Storm's jaw to prove he could not have bitten Mr Pye.

Mrs Knight, 32, and her husband, Graham, 33, also tried to get their dogs DNA tested and obtained statements from almost all of their neighbours at James Street, Shield Row, near Stanley, County Durham, to show that Storm, and his playmate Shadow, were good-natured family pets.

Both the dog experts in court not only defended Storm and Shadow but the name of rottweilers which, they said, had been wrongly labelled "devil dogs".

Yesterday, Consett magistrates described Mr Pye's evidence as "vague and inconsistent with his earlier police statement", before formally dismissing the case, sparking scenes of relief and celebration among the dedicated dog lovers.

Mr Pye had alleged he was attacked by the dogs last May while delivering letters. He said the dogs had unexpectedly leapt at him, knocking him to the ground, before Storm bit his right hand.

Speaking through her tears and hugging her husband after the verdict, housewife Mrs Knight, said: "We have had seven months of hell and it has put a huge amount of stress on our relationship.

"I know other owners might simply have destroyed their dogs but I just knew this was not true.

"We were prepared to get x-rays and plaster casts of the dogs' jaws to prove the supposed bite marks were inconsistent with Mr Pye's version of events, but our vet advised against it.

"I know people might think I had nothing else to do with my time but, believe me, I have."

The court heard that both Shadow and Storm had undergone months of good behaviour training with dog behaviourist and member of the British Institute of Dog Trainers, Michelle Westwood, who gave evidence in court.

Dr Malcolm Willis, a former lecturer in animal genetics and behaviour at Newcastle University, told magistrates that once a Rottweiler had started an attack it would follow it through and cause serious damage.

In contrast, the Knights' neighbour Joy Herdman had indicated that the dogs were sitting quietly back in the yard while Mr Pye lay outside on the street.

Mr Pye, 38, of Tantobie, near Stanley, who underwent counselling and was forced to take three months of work with shock after the alleged incident, said he was "disappointed" with the decision.

He said: "I wasn't suing or anything. I wasn't going to get anything out of it. What if these dogs go on to savage a child or something like that?"