A MINIATURE sausage dog is facing a possible death sentence after nipping a neighbour's ankle.

At eight inches in height Lucy the Daschund doesn't look the most fearsome of creatures.

But she faces being destroyed under the Dangerous Dogs Act if owner Melanie Hobson is convicted of allowing her to run amok.

Mother-of-two Melanie, 25, of Gosforth, will appear before Newcastle Magistrates today to face trial for having a dog dangerously out of control in a public place.

Melanie said: "I can't believe this is happening. Lucy is a lovely dog and I would never have her round my kids if I thought she was dangerous.

"You only need to look at her, she's tiny, how can she be classed as a dangerous dog?"