A MUM has spoken of the terrifying moment two dogs fought on top of her young son.

Lisa Smith, from West Swindon, was terrified to discover a 12-stone Rottweiler attacking her greyhound as two-year-old Liam sat in his pushchair.

The 35-year-old mum-of-two was inside Oliver Tomkins Infant School with six-year-old daughter Hannah at the time of the incident at about 9am last Tuesday.

Her greyhound Foxy was tethered to the pushchair and was being looked after by other parents outside the school in Beaumaris Road, Toothill.

The male Rottweiler escaped from its home in nearby Edington Close and made a beeline for Foxy before mauling her.

"I couldn't believe it," said Lisa. "The pushchair was rocking as they fought.

"Fortunately, there were a few mums holding the pushchair down otherwise it might have tipped over.

"At one point the dogs were on top of Liam and I have to say I did fear for his life. He had no cuts or bruises and didn't even cry. I think he was more in shock than anything else.

"But what if this happens again? It could seriously injure a child next time. I don't like going to the school anymore.

"If it had been my dog causing the fight I would have had it put down straight away."

The Rottweiler had managed to get free after the owner thought it was in the back garden when it was in actually in the lounge.

The 27-year-old father-of-two, who has apologised to Lisa, said his daughter must have opened the front door before she went to school.

"When we take it out we keep it muzzled," he said. "He has never done anything like this before.

"I wouldn't keep a dog with two children if I thought it was dangerous."

To ensure an incident does not occur again, the owner has installed a lock higher up on the front door so only he or his partner can open it.

Lauren Budd, 24, from Grange Park, whose son attends the school, said: "I had hold of the dog that was attacked.

"They were actually fighting on top of the pushchair and, of course, I was worried about the child getting bitten.

"Eventually a group of parents managed to pull the Rottweiler off and pin it to the ground. Then they were waiting for about 20 minutes for the owner to turn up.

"It could have been a child - just 10 minutes before there were 100 kids running around."

Greyhound Foxy had to have stitches inserted after suffering bites all over her body and has been closely monitored by vets.

Bills totalling £300 have been paid by the Rottweiler's owner.

Wiltshire police are investigating the incident.

Rhian Cockwell, headteacher of Oliver Tomkins Infant School, said: "There is, and always has been, a school policy that no dogs or animals should be brought through the school gates on to the school premises, and parents have abided by this rule.

"Recently however, some dogs have been brought up outside the school and left outside the school gates as pupils are dropped off.

"In light of this week's events I have now extended this policy and asked parents that no dogs are brought to the school at all."