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Posties use sonic weapons to fight off dogs
Postmen have been issued with sonic alarms after a spate of dog attacks in Lancashire.
Royal Mail has also launched a campaign urging householders to keep dangerous pets under control.
Forty-eight dog attacks have happened to delivery people in the area in the last 16 months.
The alarms send out high-pitched signals designed to keep dogs at bay.
The campaign comes a few weeks after the Evening Post revealed almost 500 people needed hospital treatment for animal bites in Preston and Chorley last year, a rise of 20% on the previous year.
Paddy Magill, a branch chairman of the Communication Workers' Union, said he had lost count of the number of times he has been bitten by dogs in his 22 years as a postman in Preston and Garstang.
He said: "We've had some fairly traumatic injuries where people have required stitches, and folk have even lost fingers through letterboxes.
"We had an Alsatian jump over a 6ft fence and bite one postman.
"The public don't seem to realise it's a major issue.
"We want to deliver to the public but our members have to be safe."
Thirty-four posties who deliver in the PR postcode area, which includes Preston, were bitten last year.
Another 14 workers have been attacked since April this year.
Royal Mail bosses are holding a Dog Awareness Day today to give staff advice on dealing with dangerous animals.
Alan Gairns, Royal Mail's general manager in Lancashire, said: "Increasingly we have to suspend deliveries because dogs are on the loose and it is not safe for our postmen and women."
Royal Mail has advised dog owners to keep their pets indoors at mail delivery times and to consider installing cages behind letter boxes or switching to mail boxes outside their homes in order to ensure deliveries can happen without incident.
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Weather for Preston
Thursday 09 February 2012
Today
Light sleet
Temperature: 2 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 0 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: South east
