A MAN whose seven-year-old son was mauled by two dogs in a back garden says he is planning to take civil action against the owners.

Matthew Knowlden wants the dogs destroyed after his son, Frankie, was attacked when he went to a neighbouring property in Falcon Gardens, Minster, near Sheerness, to retrieve a football. Police believe the animals are American Bull Terriers.

Under current legislation, Frankie was trespassing and so the police are unable to take any action against the owners. But Mr Knowlden insisted: "I will not rest until those dogs are destroyed."

Shortly before the attack Frankie was playing in the garden of his late grandfather's house with his brother Alex, four, and friend Reece Weldon, eight.

The family had come over from Dublin in Ireland where they now live with Matthew's partner Louise Weldon and her son Reece to attend the funeral of Matthew's father.

There was no reply when they knocked on the neighbours' door to ask for their ball. They thought the dogs were in the six feet tall cage they are usually kept in, so they went over the fence to get the ball.

Miss Weldon said: "Reece is very wary of dogs so as soon as he heard them bark, he had jumped the fence but all I could see was Frankie clinging on for dear life.

"Frankie had bent down to get the ball but as he did so the dogs managed to grab his face and arms."

Mr Knowlden said: "One had him by the head and the other by the hand and they were pulling him apart, but they pushed him against the fence where I could get hold of him and pull him over. I am pretty sure if I had been a second later my boy would be dead. Those dogs were going to kill him."

Frankie later underwent a three-hour operation in hospital on his face.

The owners of the dogs were unavailable for comment.