A BARROW woman has spoken about the moment an English bull terrier tried to ‘kill’ her dog while out on a walk.

Helen Pearson, 61, was out with her dog Jacob on Tuesday, around 11.30am-12pm, when disaster struck on Hartington Street.

A man, described as white, under 30, thin/medium build, around 5ft 8ins tall, with mousy hair and wearing only brown shorts, could be seen further down the street chasing two dogs and ‘screaming at them’.

Helen stopped in her tracks and continued walking after the man got hold of them both and moved on, but one of the dogs, believed to be a white English bull terrier with brown ear tips broke loose.

“It ran across the grass with its mouth open ready to kill my dog,” said Helen.

“It got the dog by the face and started shaking it about. The dog was squealing like mad and there was blood everywhere.”

The Mail: WOUNDED: Jacob sustained injuries during the attackWOUNDED: Jacob sustained injuries during the attack

A second man arrived on a bike, described as a black man with dreadlocks, and prised the dogs apart.

After the dog was pulled away from West Highland terrier Jacob, the dog latched onto Helen, leaving her with six puncture wounds to the fingers.

The Mail: PUNCTURE: Helen sustained six puncture wounds to her fingersPUNCTURE: Helen sustained six puncture wounds to her fingers

Appearing to know the offending dog, the second man is said to have grabbed it and taken it away in the direction of Parry Street/Hawke Street.

“It was horrendous,” said Helen.

“I just keep thinking about the children coming out of the nearby nursery, it could quite easily have been a child.

“The dog (Jacob) is not very well, he is traumatised. He is 14 years old, I can’t even get him outside.

“I’ve been trying to get him out the back of the house where it is quiet but he’s not having it.”

After the incident, Jacob was taken to the vets to be checked over before Helen spent four and a half hours at A&E where she was given a tetanus jab and antibiotics.

The Mail: SWEET: 14-year-old JacobSWEET: 14-year-old Jacob

Helen said: “Something has to be done to stop it. I will never forgive myself if nothing happens now and a child gets hurt.

“Everybody says it is not the dog, it is the owner. They need the dogs taken off them – they shouldn’t have them.”

Anyone with information relating to this incident can report online at www.cumbria.police.uk/reportit quoting incident number 83 of March 22.

You can also phone on 101.

Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.