A grandmother was left covered in blood after a vicious attack by three Staffordshire Bull terriers left one of her dogs dead and the other with injuries.

Samantha Ripley, 45, was walking her two Jack Russells Shelby and Sophie in Joyce Green Lane, Dartford, when the three Staffs pounced.

Escaping from a nearby back garden, the terriers pinned Shelby to the ground biting her neck, before attacking Sophie leaving her with nine puncture wounds.

Ms Ripley, of Chaucer Way, Dartford was also injured and needed stitches for a bite to her wrist and anti-inflammatory tablets.

The dog lover is suffering from distressing flashbacks and is on anti-depressant medication.

She said: “There was blood absolutely everywhere. It was horrible, all I could do was scream as they pinned my dog to the ground.

“She didn’t even have time to make any noise. It happened so quickly.”

Despite attempts of passers by to kick them off, the dogs could not be deterred and were only scared away when a man tried to put a recycling box over one of them.

Ms Ripley raised both her dogs since they were puppies and said Sophie has been barely recognisable as a result of the trauma.

The nursery assistant at Darent Valley Hospital said: “Sophie barks a lot more, she’s a lot more suspicious since the attack.

“I’m too scared to take her out at all now, I just leave her in the back garden.

“Her quality of life has definitely been affected.”

Previously living in Stone, Ms Ripley had only been living at her new house a week and a half, moving to Dartford as a result of the government’s ‘bedroom tax’ scheme.

She continued: “I walked my dogs where I used to live all the time without incident. I usually take my granddaughter out with me, fortunately I didn’t that day.”

Ms Ripley has erected a make-shift shrine in memory of Shelby with an urn containing the dog’s ashes standing next to photos and a card.

The grandmother-of-two, who keeps her departed dog’s lead safely in a draw, said: “I didn’t want to sprinkle Shelby’s ashes. I didn’t want to let her go, this way she always stays with me.”

Although she misses her beloved pet, who died in the attack in April, Ms Ripley admits she won’t be getting another dog as it just “won’t be the same”.

She added: “They should be put down to stop other people and animals getting hurt in the future, but whatever the outcome it won’t bring back my dog.”

Ms Ripley said the Crown Prosecution Service was examining the case.