A PEDIGREE dog which was run over by an off-road motorbike has had to be destroyed.

Five-year-old Flame, an Irish red setter bitch, suffered severe internal injuries, a chipped spine and a broken ankle after the bike ran over her near Green Lane, Whinfield, Darlington, last month.

Her owners, Kevin and Elizabeth Swainston, turned to reiki, an ancient therapy used to clear energy blockages, to try to heal Flame after vets warned that she might not survive.

But on Monday the couple agreed to have her destroyed.

"She was just too poorly," said Mr Swainston, 52.

"There were no signs of improvement and so the vet came out here to do it. We are so sad to have lost her."

Mrs Swainston, 49, said Flame, who had appeared at Cruft's, was a happy, healthy dog until the crash on May 26.

"She had such a zest for life. This time last year she was expecting her first litter of puppies. This is so cruel. I don't think I'll ever get over it. The reiki healer told us Flame had had enough."

The couple have four other red setters, including Flame's pup, Teddy.

PC John Forster, of Darlington police, said last night that an 18-year-old arrested in connection with the crash would shortly be appearing in court to answer a series of driving charges.

Since the accident, police in Darlington have launched a crackdown on illegal off-road bikers.

On Tuesday, they took the unusual step of releasing photographs of under-age bikers riding illegally around Hundens Lane.

One of the pictures shows the rogue riders driving around a frightened horse.

PC Forster said that officers on bikes would be patrolling the town throughout the summer.

"We still want people to contact us if they see youths on bikes where they should not be," he said.

The number to call is (01325) 346802.