PET owners are warned to keep their animals safe after a family lost two guinea pigs and a rabbit in a dog attack.

A tearful woman, from Northallerton, told The Northern Echo that two dogs had killed her pets after gnawing their way into the cages on Tuesday.

The woman, who lives near the Friarage Hospital, said: "I want to warn anyone else with pets that this can happen.

"The dogs could even attack a child. All my pets died."

She reported the dogs as a black and white collie-type and a brown terrier to the dog warden.

Her warning comes only months after dogs, left to roam the streets in the town, attacked a toddler's rabbit .

Three-year-old Thomas Ward was left heartbroken after the dogs gnawed through the wire of his rabbit's hutch and killed it in the night.

His mother, Jacqui Hollas, of Quaker Lane, Northallerton, said the garden was covered in blood and Thomas's pet, called Bugsy, had been decapitated.

"It was the first pet we had bought for Thomas, along with a £70 hutch and all the things that go with it. Within days this happened and Thomas was absolutely distraught," said Mrs Hollas.

"My partner, Kevin, wouldn't let him or me into the garden, the place was a mess. It was very upsetting for us all."

The couple bought another rabbit, called Toastie, for their son and, since the attack in March, they have had the hutch repaired with reinforced wire and mounted to the side of the house.

Mrs Hollas said she told the local dog warden and neighbours said they had seen a collie dog and a small dog roaming the streets that night.

On the back of this week's attack, Mrs Hollas wants to know whether anything was done to find the dogs.

Yesterday, Eric Kendall, Hambleton District Council's head of environmental health and housing, said he could not find any reports of an attack in March.

He said wardens would now be looking for the dogs.

"Anyone with caged pets living outside should ensure they are secure overnight and that gates are kept shut," he said.

To report a stray dog, call (01609) 779977.