A SEVEN-year-old girl has been left terrified after a Staffordshire bull terrier attacked her mother and their own pet dog while they were out walking.

Sophia Mills is now too scared to return to the park in Gorse Hill where the incident happened.

Her mother Charlene, 26, needed treatment and has been given a series of jabs after she tried to rescue her two-year-old shar pei puppy Bailey, which had been bitten on the leg by the dog.

Charlene, along with husband Matthew, 39, and her daughter were walking Bailey on Saturday afternoon when they were approached by the unsupervised dog.

“We always keep our dogs on the lead because they might look intimidating but they are really soft,” said Charlene, of Suffolk Street, Gorse Hill.

“The park was full of little children at the time, and we were walking round when this Staffy appeared from nowhere and started growling and went to attack Bailey.

“I picked up our dog who was quite happy on my chest, but the Staffy was not letting go.

“My dog just thought he was playing because he’s a bit dopey, and was still wagging his tail.

“It ran off, so we decided to leave straight away.

“As we came back down the alleyway it came straight for our dog again.”

Charlene pulled Bailey away from the dog, which then latched on to her arm.

“I was more worried about my little one and my dog because it all happened so quickly,” she said. “We were making quite a lot of noise to get help. We were screaming to startle it and get it off.

“A neighbour came out and took my daughter to the side because she was in hysterics. Another lady grabbed the dog.

“I was just standing there with my arm bleeding.

“I have had to have jabs and an X-ray because of the swelling.

“A PCSO came out to speak to us about it.”

Matthew said other people in the area have told similar stories of the white and brown Staffordshire bull terrier in the same park, and says action needs to be taken against the owners.

Sophia is now too scared to go back to the park after seeing her mother attacked.

“What the police said at the time was because it was a Saturday with the football it was a busy time for them,” said Matthew.

“They came out more than 24 hours later after we had rung six or seven times.

“If that dog attacks a child we have done our bit by telling them it is wandering on the loose.

“Sophia won’t go back to the park now because she is too frightened.

“I would rather chuck the dogs in the car and take them to Coate Water than go back there.”

A spokesman for Wiltshire Police said: “Wiltshire Police are currently investigating an incident involving two dogs on Florence Street, Swindon, shortly before 4.30pm on Saturday.

“As a result of the incident, the owner of one of the dogs received a puncture wound to her arm.

“The police investigation is ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact Wiltshire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where information can be left anonymously.”