A pensioner hospitalised after being bitten by a police dog during a manhunt used to sell personal injury claims for a living.

Brian Kiddell, 71, who lives in Bramham Gardens off Clayton Road, was watering his patch at the allotments behind Kingston Rugby Club yesterday lunchtime when he was attacked by the alsatian.

Police helicopters, officers and dogs were searching for two suspects who had crashed their silver BMW in Kelvin Grove and fled onto the allotments.

He said: "I was just resting my hose on a fork.

"I had seen the police officers previously and then there was this loud hailer saying 'there's a police dog on site. Will all police officers stand still'.

"Then all of a sudden I saw this dog. He looked at me and then grabbed my ankle. I was standing still. It was pretty frightening.

"I have got about 25-30 incision teeth marks. It was pretty painful. There was blood flying everywhere."

Mr Kiddell, who has lived in Chessington since 1968, said police had been apologetic and gone to Kingston to pick up his wife Maureen who has shopping and take her to meet him at Kingston Hospital.

He revealed his background was in selling personal injury compensation for a solicitors.

Asked whether he would seek compensation, he said: "I think the police will contact me anyway.

"All I'm glad about is it happened this week because I had the Claygate Flower Show on Saturday and I wouldn't have been able to do half the stuff I did."

Mr Kiddell, wthe treasurer of the allotment society, carried off the Queen Elizabeth Ceremonial Cup and the Wilkinson Cup for three vases of sweet peas.

He is currently resting at home with his dog Daisy, a Tibetan terrier, of which he said, "the only thing she barks at is a chocolate bar".