A pensioner was left wounded, bloodied and scarred after being bitten by a sheepdog while she walked near a Lakes farm.

Jonathan Bland, 45, appeared at Carlisle Crown Court, and admitted being in charge of a dog which injured 73-year-old Ellen Walters while dangerously out of control in public.

Prosecutor Beccy McGregor said Ms Walters was walking with her own sheepdog in the area of Bland’s Yew Tree Farm at Rosthwaite, near Keswick, on August 26 last year.

She saw two sheepdogs “creeping” behind her which were “barking and snarling”.

Such was her concern that she let her dog back off the lead.

“She began to feel the back of her own leg was hurting,” said Ms McGregor. “She noted straight away as the incident came to an end there was a puncture wound to her leg.”

There were also “separate teeth marks” and, Ms McGregor said: “She said there was blood running down her leg and on to her shoes.”

Bland, who had not seen the incident, gave her paper towels, but she had to walk on before flagging down a lift.

Her extensive medical treatment included 14 separate hospital or GP visits.

Ms Walters was left scarred, anxious and the prosecutor added: “She describes a general lack of confidence following the incident.”

Bland, a man of previous good character, said his working dogs, Joe and Gill, had never previously been aggressive nor bitten. It was not known which bit Ms Walters.

Judge James Adkin gave Bland a community order comprising a 28-day night-time curfew. He must pay Ms Walters £1,040 compensation.

The judge ruled the two dogs must be muzzled in public places save for when working and under Bland’s direct control. They must also be tethered within the farmyard.

“If they do bite somebody else, that’s the end of Joe and Gill,” said the judge.