Anger over 'beast' of F1 boss

He is ferocious, takes on rivals twice his size and, according to some, should not be allowed out without a lead.

But enough about Bernie Ecclestone - it is his dog Brulee which is in trouble this time. After reports that the red chow has been involved in a number of attacks on both other dogs and local residents, the billionaire's neighbours in Chelsea have called for the dog to be put down.

Locals have accused Brul饬 which they have branded the Beast of Chelsea, of attacking two residents, ripping the throat of one pet and attacking two other dogs. Now the Formula One boss has bitten back. Defending Brulé¥ - whose ancestors originally worked as guard dogs for the Han dynasty - Mr Ecclestone, 73, said his dog had been provoked. Speaking from his home in Chelsea Square, where house prices start at ?2.5 million, he said: "I wish they would say it to my face. Instead they hide behind their windows. There's only been three attacks that I know of.

"It's a petty neighbourhood argument and typical of the people in this square." Referring to calls for his dog to be put down, Mr Ecclestone said: "Their dogs should be put down. Brulé¥ is a very docile dog. He has been provoked by the other dogs and is just protecting himself - that's it."

Mr Ecclestone himself required reconstructive surgery on his nose following an attack by a german

shepherd four years ago. "It bit off the end of my nose," he said, but added: "My dog is not vicious." Last week neighbour Alan Nash, 53, an investment banker, had to have a tetanus injection after being bitten on his calf while saving his labrador in the square's communal garden. It was the second attack on the dog, which suffered wounds to thigh and head, in six months.

In a separate incident in June, Brulé¥ cornered elderly resident Barbara Davies and her pet Bedlington terrier Darcy in the garden. Later, on 9 June, Brulé¥ attacked Darcy again, forcing Mrs

Davies's 73-year-old husband Geoffrey to save the terrier, whose throat was bitten open.

Mr Davies ran half a mile, drenched in his pet's blood, to the vet. Seven weeks later, on 26 August, the retired businessman died from a heart attack. "Obviously I'm not saying that the attack caused Geoffrey's death," a neighbour said. "But he loved that dog dearly - and the attack and the running put a terrible strain on him."

Last Sunday the Chelsea Square Garden Association, chaired by Mr Nash, wrote to Mr Ecclestone to tell him not to walk his dog in the communal garden, threatening to revoke his right to use the garden for which each of the 60

residents pays ?500 a year to upkeep. Mr Ecclestone has agreed to walk his dog elsewhere.

But after seven alleged attacks, including one in nearby Sydney Street, neighbours today called for Brulé¥ to be put down to stop further attacks.

One neighbour, who did not want to be named, said: "That dog is evil - if nothing is done the next attack could be on a small child. There is a potential killer on the streets of Chelsea."

Another resident, who wanted to remain anonymous, said: "A ban is one thing, but the dog can still escape from Mr Ecclestone's garden into the communal space. The only way to end this is to put that beast down."