A deaf teenager today told of his terror at being kept prisoner in a car for two hours by a crazed Japanese Akita dog.

Police marksmen laid siege to the unroadworthy vehicle fearing the "snarling" dog was about to savage 15-year-old James McClusky, pictured, and a 14-year-old friend.

The two boys, who were huddled together in the driver's seat of the car, were eventually freed by a dramatic rescue.

Four armed officers surrounded the dog after he was dragged clear of the car by dog warden Terry Singh who had sneaked up on it with a harness.

It was taken to a nearby vet's and destroyed with the consent of its owner, James's father John McClusky.

The dog, a family pet named Busby, had lived at the family's home in Leeds Road, Thornbury, since they adopted him earlier this year James lost his hearing after contracting meningitis when he was six months old.

He said: "We just couldn't get out. The dog was going barmy. My friend was terrified the police were going to fire and kept shouting: 'Don't shoot us'. I tried to speak to Busby to calm him down but he wouldn't let anyone near him."

The two teenagers and another friend, David Coombs, 16, had been playing in the parked car outside James's home when the dog ran free from the house and jumped in.

David managed to jump free while the other two sat frozen in terror. They were unable to escape through the driver's side door which had become jammed.

John, 40, a former builder, called in the police when he found he was unable to get to the car or calm the aggressive dog.

"He just went berserk. I have never seen him like that. He has never gone for anyone before."

Mr Singh said: "The dog was snarling and ready to maul them. I think he was trying to take over as pack leader."