OUR dog's just a loveable puppy - and he loves children.

That's the message from the owner of a ten-stone Rottweiler which brought terror to children's football matches in Southampton, attacking a manager and forcing youngsters to flee.

Four-year-old Reggie the Rottweiler caused mayhem at two football matches in Southampton on Sunday, forcing them to be abandoned and leaving one man injured.

Youngsters fled to the safety of the changing rooms as Reggie invaded the pitch at Test Park.

Fathers watching on the touchline wrestled the animal to the ground and sat on him for 20 minutes until police arrived.

Manager Paul Hicks, 39, from Chandler's Ford, whose son was playing in the under-12s game, was bitten as he held the dog's head.

Mr Hicks, manager of Dougland Red coached by Saints legend Francis Benali was taken to hospital where he was treated for a bite to his hand. But the manager, who owns a Golden Retriever later confirmed he would not be asking police to take any action against Reggie.

Today, Reggie's owner, Penny Bennett, 31, of Studland Road in Millbrook publicly apologised to Mr Hicks and the youngsters for the distress Reggie had caused.

The mum of three said: "When the kids go out, Reggie is very playful - quite puppy like."

She explained that Reggie got over excited on the Sunday and just pushed his way out of the family home. She said: "That Sunday he got out and we were looking for him for an hour-and-a-half. He is not a vicious dog.''

She told the Daily Echo that her three children, Charlie, 8, Kyle, 13, and Reece, 11, all adored Reggie.

She said: "Charlie was raised with the dog since he was a baby. He sits on his back and rides him like a horse.''

It took five police officers armed with a noose to deal with Reggie when he escaped on Sunday morning. The incident happened as Dougland FC Red Team took on Chamberlayne FC in the semi-final cup replay.