A war of hate is being waged against a family leading to one of their dogs being blinded in one eye in a vicious attack.

The family are now installing night-vision security cameras to catch the yobs red-handed and end their living hell.

Husband and wife Jacquie and Geoff Weatherall, of Lydalls Road, Didcot, claim:

*Crufts winner St Bernard Jake was viciously stabbed in the eye with a piece of wire;

*A malicious phone call was made to the RSPCA wrongly accusing them of cruelty to animals after their St Bernard Max died at the family home;

*Louts have daubed the property with graffiti - spray painting 'Bitch' on one of their walls;

*Yobs have thrown firecrackers over the fence, and beer and cigarettes into the garden;

*Hooligans have shouted abuse at the family and their children;

*The family caravan has been vandalised and bricks thrown at the garage and kennels. Mrs Weatherall, 37, who helps her 39-year-old husband with his work as a freelance computer consultant, said the family had been hounded since moving to their new home in August 1997.

The couple, who have three children Samantha, ten, Victoria, eight, and five-year-old Alexandra, moved to the 400-year old Blagrove Farm from another address in the road.

Mrs Weatherall said Max died after suffering a massive heart attack on Monday morning.

Two days later the RSPCA turned up at the house after being told a dog's dead body had been left in the dog run. She said: "It was horrific. He was a member of the family we loved very much.

"Then this RSPCA man comes round saying someone had reported us for abusing our dogs. This has hurt me so very very badly, and my family. We just wish they would leave us alone." Mrs Weatherall added: "This comes after Jake was attacked in April. Someone put a piece of wire through the fence and ripped his cornea out. He is now blind in that eye and it was the end of his showing career."

The family has four St Bernards who are well-known in the town and take part in the Christmas parade every year to raise money for the St Bernards Trust.

Three of the dogs have had distinguished showing careers - both locally and nationally.

Jake came 2nd in the puppy category of Crufts in 1997 and this year was placed third in the postgraduate dog section. Max competed at Crufts last year but did not win anything. Max is to be cremated and his ashes scattered under a tree in the family garden.

Didcot Police said there had been incidents reported by the family and the hoax call was being investigated at this time.

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