Vicious Staffordshire bull terrier pinned five-year-old girl down and mauled her face

A five-year-old has suffered life-changing injuries after her neighbour’s dog pinned her down and bit a chunk of her cheek off in a vicious attack.

Elsie, from Croydon, South London, was playing with her friends outside her home when the Staffordshire bull terrier attacked her, leaving her with wounds requiring three surgeries.

The vicious attack took place at around 5pm on September 25 when Elsie and her sister Amelia, 9, were playing with friends in a secure area in front of their block. 

Elsie’s mother, Kirsty, 29, said the attack only lasted minutes but it felt like a lifetime.  ‘I can remember the feeling of panic, seeing the dog on her face. I can’t get that image out of my head,’ she said.

The mother rushed to her daughter and put her on her shoulder so the dog couldn’t get to her. 

But the dog continued to jump at Elsie until they reached the safety of another neighbour’s house.

‘There was blood everywhere and a chunk of her face was wide open. A chunk of her cheek was hanging off and you could see inside her nose through the bridge of her nose,’ Kirsty said.

Elsie (pictured), from Croydon, South London, was playing with her friends outside her home when the Staffordshire bull terrier attacked her, leaving her with wounds requiring three surgeries

‘In the ambulance she was trying to fall asleep but the paramedics were talking to her to try to keep her conscious. She turned to me at one point and said ‘Mummy it’s ok but I’ve got to go, I’ve got to close my eyes now.’ 

The girl’s mother has revealed that as well as her physical injuries, her daughter has been left traumatised. 

‘She doesn’t want to go out, particularly on public transport because she doesn’t want people to stare at her,’ she said.

‘She hasn’t been back to school since because she doesn’t want her friends to see her like this.’

The mother had been watching from inside when her neighbour’s dog was released into the area without a lead or muzzle on and charged directly at Elsie.

The children ran to a wall and climbed to safety but Elsie fell over as they ran which allowed the dog to grab her by the face. 

The little girl had part of her cheek bitten off my her neighbour’s Staffordshire bull terrier 

The five-year-old was rushed to St George’s Hospital where she had to undergo surgery for four hours. 

Since then, she has been under the knife again and her parents have been told she’ll be seeing a surgeon for the rest of her life.

Police have seized the dog and another belonging to the same owner. They remain in police kennels. 

A 56-year-old woman was interviewed under caution on October 18 but no arrests have been made so far. 

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said their enquiries are ongoing.

Elsie’s (right) mother Kirsty (left) said the attack only lasted minutes but it felt like a lifetime

Croydon Council are taking action to move Elsie and her family to a different house but for the time being they are met with daily reminders of the horror which took place.

Kirsty added: ‘It’s very hard coming in and out of our home, seeing where they used to play. Every time I open the door it’s right there. I can’t look at the place where it happened, I can’t put the bins out. 

‘The kids find it hard to come in and out, I have to carry Elsie and her older sister in every time.

‘It’s been catastrophic for our whole family. My partner, my kids, everyone is in counselling. We’re all just traumatised.’