A city woman has told of her horror after a rogue dog mauled her and her pet.

Vicky Hewett takes her five-year-old cockapoo, Tilly, for a walk along Marriott's Way each day.

But on Tuesday 12 April her daily walk took a drastic turn from its usual quiet stroll.

The 56-year-old business analyst said: “I was walking Tilly along Marriott's Way near Anderson Meadow as I do every day because I work on the Sweet Briar industrial estate.

“Tilly was on the lead and suddenly a dog came running out of the woods.

“It wasn’t on the lead so I thought it must be friendly. I only felt a little bit uneasy due to the fact this dog was on its own.”

When the black Staffordshire bull terrier cross was around 10ft away it dropped a stick it had in its jaws and began snarling and growling.

But sadly Vicky was unable to grab her cockapoo before the dog attacked.

“It had Tilly by the throat and she started screaming," Vicky said. “Nobody was around to help. I started to kick the dog but it did nothing."

When Vicky eventually got the dog off her and Tilly she was covered in blood - both her's and the dog's.

After the ordeal a man with two school age children appeared from woods.

Vicky said: “I asked for their details, and they simply told me they would not give them to me, and that they were going to go and get the dog put down.

“I don’t think that was true, they didn’t even ask if I was okay, they just left.”

A bystander noticed Vicky was hurt and he stayed with her until her boss and a first aider were able to get to her.

She said: “I really want to thank that kind man - he saw I was in a state and he didn’t leave me.”

Vicky has been left with a pulled hamstring, bruising down her side and a gash in her hand and Tilly has six puncture wounds and an £180 vet bill.

She said: “The vet could not believe how lucky Tilly was - that dog was trying to kill her."

The attack has been reported to the police.