Witnesses have condemned a dog owner for walking away after his dog left a family pet with fatal injuries in a public park on Christmas Day.

Emergency services were called to the scene in Rede Common, Strood, after a dog - believed to be a Staffordshire bull terrier - attacked another dog at around 2pm on Tuesday December 25.

The owner of the dog was also left injured in the incident, which follows a similar attack in June this year which left a family pet and one if its owners injured.

Emma Stephens and her family, who live nearby, were among the first on the scene after both attacks and believe the same owner was responsible on each occasion.

She took to Facebook to say: "Sad to report that our Christmas Day has been horribly interrupted by awful barks, shouts and screams coming from Rede Common again. Yet another serious dog attack has occurred where a poor innocent lady walking her dogs on a quiet Christmas afternoon was set upon (unprovoked) by a Staff breed dog off lead up there.

"My poor husband and two of my children have witnessed a poor dog with its throat ripped out and a poor injured and deeply distressed woman, blood everywhere..

"This has to stop."

Speaking to the Medway Messenger she said she feared another incident could leave a child with serious injuries, and called on police to take action against the owner - who she described as "an overweight, balding middle aged man with a dark colour staff breed dog."

And she added: "The dog who carried out the attack came out of nowhere off the lead. There was another dark coloured staff also with it who growled at the other dogs in attendance but didn't do anything. Then after a while the owner came walking by with another man. At first they denied the dogs were theirs when they saw what had happened but we knew they were lying as they were holding a lead and recognised his description from the last attack in June.

"He did not express any concern or offer any help. My husband told him to remain at the scene as the police had been called but he and the other man quickly walked off."

Mrs Stephens said the people were now scared to walk their dogs in Rede Common, adding: "It's just not fair that one irresponsible owner has ruined this for so many other people.

"Myself and my neighbours feel very strongly about wanting something to be done about it. One of my neighbours and I have been on hand for the victims the last two times this has happened and seen the impact and upset and devastation this has caused. We aren’t free to enjoy the area where we live."

Police confirmed they were called to a report of an aggressive dog in the Rede Common area on Christmas Day and that a dog had reportedly bitten a woman and her dog.

They say officers spoke with both parties and established that no serious injuries had been caused to the woman but that her dog required urgent veterinary treatment.

Following inquiries, officers seized the dog which is reported to have been behaving aggressively and inquiries into the incident remain ongoing.

Earlier this year Julie Dixon of Tamar Drive describe how she and her family were attacked by dogs as they walked their two dogs on Rede Common.

Mrs Dixon was left with a hand injury and her one year old Spaniel puppy Bailey was also injured.