Anne's terrier attacks royal maid

One of Princess Anne's dogs bit two children last year

A royal maid was attacked by Princess Anne's bull terrier just days after it savaged one of the Queen's corgis, Buckingham Palace has confirmed.

The dog, Florence, bit the woman's knee at the Queen's home in Sandringham, Norfolk, on Saturday, the palace said.

The attack followed an incident before Christmas, in which the corgi was put down after Florence broke its legs.

Florence will now undergo behavioural retraining, but a spokeswoman would not say whether the dog would be put down.

She said the maid was treated by a doctor but the wound was a "minor bite" and the woman did not need hospital treatment.

The Sun reported that Saturday's attack came when the maid, who is believed to have worked for the Queen for two decades, had gone with three other women to clean Anne's room.

The princess and her husband were not in the room at the time but were on the estate.

Princess warned

The RSPCA declined to comment on the specifics of the latest attack, as the animal charity had not been called in.

However, a spokeswoman said dog owners whose animals were unpredictable and bit on more than one occasion had stark options.

They should consider behavioural retraining, but as a last resort, might have to consider having the dog put down, she said.

The RSPCA had earlier called for another of Anne's bull terriers, Dotty, to be destroyed, following erroneous reports that it had been responsible for the attack on the corgi.

The charity, of which the Queen is patron, said any dog that attacked twice had to be considered a dangerous animal and put down.

Dotty just avoided being destroyed a year ago for attacking children in Windsor Great Park.

Two boys were injured in that attack - a 12-year-old boy was left with a bite on the collarbone and two bites to the left leg, and a seven-year-old boy was left with scratch marks on a leg, his back and an arm.

Princess Anne was prosecuted under the Dangerous Dogs Act and warned by the judge that if there were any further attacks, Dotty would have to be destroyed.