A dog owner is warning others after a staffie mauled her pet near a children’s play area.

Karen Brown, 51, of Hay Lane, Braintree, described the “nightmare” attack which left her West Highland White Mia with a serious facial wound, puncture and claw marks.

Children at the play area in St George V playing field off Cressing Road were left crying after the incident on Sunday afternoon.

Mrs Brown, whose two-year-old dog was on the lead at the time, said: “The staffie came into the grass area on his own off the lead.

“He came over and they had a sniff of each other and then I don’t really know what happened.

“He started snarling and he grabbed her and actually held her by the muzzle, right up to her eyes and just wouldn’t let go."

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