The Met sends seven police officers to seize Yorkshire terrier that chased a delivery driver

Scotland Yard sent seven officers to seize a "dangerous" Yorkshire terrier after it chased a delivery driver up a garden path, it has been claimed.

Alfie, an exuberant 10-year-old dog, was taken away by police last Friday following reports that he was out of control.

But his 73-year-old owner, Claudia Settimo-Bovio, who has owned the dog since he was a puppy, has accused the police of over reacting and has said she is distraught by the removal of her beloved pet.

Alfie was seized by the police under the Dangerous Dogs Act more than six weeks after a delivery driver claimed he had been attacked.

The man had been delivering a parcel to Miss Settimo-Bovio at her home in Kingston upon Thames when the incident occurred.

Admitting that her dog became excited around people, she explained that she had requested the courier leave the parcel outside her front door.

But she claims that when she went outside the collect the parcel, the driver was still there and Alfie bolted towards him.

She said: "As soon as he saw my dog he was screaming ‘he’s killing me’. He fell over and I told him if he was afraid to just stay still. My neighbour came out and picked up the dog.

“It looked like the man had a little scratch above the waist, but I think that was from when he fell on the floor.”

Miss Settimo-Bovi went on: "My dog is not vicious. He’s not a Rottweiler; he’s a little Yorkshire terrier. I live on my own and he’s very protective of me.

“He just likes to chase. Show me a dog who doesn’t like to chase.

"I never had a letter from the police. Alfie will probably be very scared now. He’s never been in a kennel before."

A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police confirmed a search warrant was carried out at an address in Vale Crescent at 8.08am on Friday and a dog was seized under Section 5 of the Dangerous Dogs Act.