FEARSOME Bruno is putting the bite on criminals as the region's first rottweiler police dog.

The seven-and-a-half stone recruit was unveiled at Northumbria Police headquarters yesterday.

The formidable 20-month-old is a general purpose police dog who takes part in searches, arrests suspects and controls crowds.

He has already been used at football matches and in the arrest of suspected car thieves.

He also tracked down a burglar in Sunderland who hid in a bedroom cupboard.

His handler, PC Jason Leng, who works from Southwick, Sunderland, said: "Bruno has an absolutely huge presence, people do not come close to him at all.

"When you see him in full flow, you realise it is going to take someone very silly to want to tackle him. I am just glad he is on our side.

"Whenever I have got him out of the van, anyone thinking of causing trouble has stopped straight away."

Away from work, Bruno lives at PC Leng's Gateshead home he shares with his wife, Joanne, who is also a police officer, their two children and two rescue dogs.

PC Leng has been an officer for almost 12 years and joined the dog section last year, fulfilling a childhood dream.

He said: "At first I was a slightly disappointed when I found out I was going to be paired with a rottweiler.

"But after working with him, I would not give him up for anything. If he had not made it, I would have kept him as my own pet.

"Bruno is a joy to have around. He is full of life and wants to play all the time. We are totally relaxed with him at home and he is like the final piece of the jigsaw."

Bruno was offered to the force after his owner, an elderly woman, decided she no longer wanted him. When he arrived at the training unit at police headquarters, he did not even know how to sit on command.

But after working with Northumbria Police instructors, he gained his Home Office licence only ten weeks into a 13-week course.

Inspector Ken Crossley, of the dog section, said: "The fact Bruno has such a big presence means he will be a deterrent and should not have to be deployed.

"He certainly stands out from the crowd, and we are expecting he will get a few funny looks. People will remember him because he is one of a kind."