Just over a week after the savage dog attack which left a little girl with horrific injuries the park where it happened was empty.

At a time when children should have been making most of the spring sunshine during their Easter holidays, there was nobody in sight.

Apart from a few stray beer cans, a broken bottle and an empty packet of cigarette papers there was no sign of life.

But it was a different story just after 5.30pm last Tuesday when the recreation area behind the flats in Jenkins Dale in Chatham became a major crime scene.

Toddler Victoria Resetnjova had been playing in the park at around 5.20pm with her 14-year-old sister Kristina when the banned pit bull-type dog went for her.

It was reported youngsters witnessed the mauling and tried to rescue the 18-month-old child from the jaws of the animal.

It was then seen being led away by a teenage girl before police shot it twice in the head.

Victoria was airlifted to St George’s Hospital in London where her condition was initially described as critical. She is now stable.

Her parents Sergei and Valentina Resetnjova have issued a statement thanking those who helped to save their daughter’s life.

Katy Ayres, 31, a mother-of five, who lives in the flats, said: “Everyone is still in shock. It will never be the same again. There’s a few people who have been in there since.

"But I will never let my kids go in there again. I would rather take them up the road or to Jackson’s in Rochester.”

A mum-of-three, who lives near the park and would only be named as Julie, said: “It’s horrible, but I really think it was a one-off. I let my 13-year-old and 12 year-old go there because it is a safe place.

“We have not been back there since then because I thought it was closed. But I have no problem in them going back there.

"I just thank God my children were having dinner at the time it happened.”

Michael Thornton, 26, from, Chatham was arrested on suspicion of offences under the Dangerous Dogs Act on Tuesday, along with a teenager. A woman from Chatham was arrested the next day after police searched a home at Coronation Flats.

They have been bailed until Wednesday, April 26 and the teenager has been released pending further investigation.

A police spokesman said yesterday (Thursday): “The girl is still in hospital in a serious but stable condition.”