The wife of a Government backbencher is allowing her dog to stray in the Harlem Heights, Hamilton Parish area, a neighbour has claimed.

But Linda Horton, wife of Hamilton West MP Randolph Horton, last night claimed her efforts at "compromise and neighbourliness'' have been rebuffed and she has promised to keep her dog on her property.

In the wake of news that laws against vicious dogs will be tightened up, Jennifer Dwinnell told The Royal Gazette to tell us how her tenant, Felicity Cole, and the tenant's dog were attacked by Mrs. Horton's Labrador.

Both Ms Cole and her dog were injured in the attack which took place on Mrs.

Dwinnell's property in the Harlem Heights area.

Whilst Ms Cole did not require hospital treatment, the dog had to be taken to the vet because of an injury to its ear.

Ms Cole told The Royal Gazette that this was the fourth time Mrs. Horton's Labrador had attacked her dog, an English Setter.

It was only because neighbours came to her aid after she screamed for help that the Labrador was persuaded to release its grip on her dog.

Ms Cole said she had spoken to Mrs. Horton three times about the behaviour of the dog and the fact that it strayed off his property.

But Mrs. Horton said her dog was gentle and had never caused a problem for the neighbourhood for the past nine years.

And Mrs. Horton said Ms Cole was "haughty, rude, aggressive and extremely hostile'' at a recent meeting. Despite this, she has promised to contain her dog.

"She could have eliminated this possibility if we had just met when she moved in recently,'' Mrs. Horton said. "Dogs are very territorial. Given that she is newly arrived, I would have thought she would come to us to introduce herself and then we could introduce the dogs.'' She added: "This really has nothing to do with my husband. I pay the licensing. But it has just been nearly impossible to come to a compromise regarding the walking of her dog.'' Mrs. Horton said Ms Cole has insisted she install invisible fencing to contain her dog, which she called "expensive'' considering the dog has only been in trouble recently.

"But in a spirit of compromise and neighbourliness I pledged to her I would do all possible means to restrain my dog,'' she said. "My dog is rarely off my property. We could have solved this.'' Complaints about the Horton dog had been lodged with the dog warden and with Police before this latest attack.

And in another twist, Mrs. Horton has also filed a complaint with Police, saying someone has removed the Labrador's collar on two occasions.

Police continue to investigate.