A father and son have been banned from keeping dogs after being found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to an old English sheepdog.

Langdale Wilcox, 77, from Peterborough, and Phillip Wilcox, 40, from Somersham, appeared before the Peterborough bench who imposed a five-year ban.

They pleaded guilty to the offence which took place during June this year.

The dog, Molly, was confiscated and the pair were fined £500 each and ordered to pay £898.50 each in costs.

Eight-year-old Molly had an extremely matted coat and a large mammary tumour for which she had received no veterinary treatment.

RSPCA inspector Kat Parfitt said that the dog was also suffering from joint problems and vets estimated she had been suffering for at least six months.

"My main concern in this case was being able to confiscate and re-home the dog. The defendants had just become unable to cope with their pet's condition."

The defendants said they realised that they should have done something to help the dog called Molly, but were unsure of how to deal with the situation.