A woman who became trapped waist-high in a peat bog was forced to watch in terror as her snarling pet Rottweilers stopped fire crews from rescuing her. The woman was walking her dogs on Waldridge Fell, Chester-le-Street, County Durham, yesterday when she sank in the mud. As she made desperate attempts to free herself, a passer-by, who heard her frantic screams for help, called for the fire brigade to rescue her . But when four fire- fighters from High Handenhold station arrived, the Rottweilers leapt to her defence and rushed at the fireman. She was forced to wait in the freezing mud for more than half an hour as the stand-off continued. When the fire crew got within 10 yards the dogs would attack and they were forced to retreat. This was despite her calling her pets off. She was only able to escape when Durham County Council countryside warden Lee Rankin came to the rescue - with a handful of dog biscuits. Mr Rankin, responsible for the upkeep of the fell - a designated area of natural beauty - managed to lure the dogs away from their owner. Station Officer Peter Hewitson of Durham Fire Brigade said: "The situation was becoming desperate until the warden arrived. "As the lady struggled she was sucked further and further into the mud and she was becoming very cold and weak. "But as we tried to reach her the dogs - and they were big dogs - were protecting her by running at us. "We were wondering what to do when the warden saved the day with his dog biscuits, they gave up and followed him. "We were able to pull her free from the peat bog but by then she couldn't feel her legs and an ambulance was called. "The dogs were simply trying to protect their owner but on this occasion were doing more harm than good." | 
