An Eythorne man is urging dog owners to keep ill-tempered animals muzzled and on a lead after his family pet was attacked by a Staffordshire bull terrier.

Danny Philpott, of The Street, and his partner Katie Rolfe took her two children, William, 11, and Kizzie, eight, and their two dogs for a picnic in Russell Gardens, Dover, on Thursday. Kizzie ran up screaming after the Staffie lunged past her, went for the throat of the family’s West Highland terrier, Lucy, and refused to let go.

Mr Philpott said: “Lucy was quite clearly in distress, with blood coming from around her neck and mouth, but the Staffie kept a firm hold, while her owner tried to pry her away. My partner’s children were distraught. After about five minutes, the Staffie finally released Lucy, and we carried her away a safe distance to check her injuries.”

Mr Philpott said the dog’s owner agreed to pay for any vet bills, and admitted her animal had a history of aggression.

He said: “I was quite disgusted that she allowed her dog to run freely around a busy park full of other dogs and small children, knowing it had attacked before.”

Lucy had bites to the neck but no serious wounds.