A WOMAN who was attacked by a bull terrier has had to have her foot amputated.

And police say the terrible injuries suffered by Lois Jackson, 69, were so bad they looked as if they could have been caused by a lion or tiger.

The frenzied Staffordshire-cross terrier turned on Mrs Jackson and its owner Bernadette Thompson after it was startled by the banging of a sideboard door.

Mrs Thompson, 52, of Selkirk Close, Blackburn was visiting her friend, who lives in Laxey Road, and brought along her dog Stan.

Police say the animal had its jaws clamped on Mrs Thompson's leg for about ten minutes.

Its owner managed to get the dog off its victim but the animal then turned on her.

The dog was eventually locked in the kitchen but both women were badly injured in the attack and underwent surgery at Blackburn Royal Infirmary.

Sergeant Ann Scott, of Blackburn police, said: "Mrs Jackson's foot has been removed and we believe part of the lower leg. "The dog was locked on to her for about ten minutes and they couldn't get it off.

"The owner was attacked in a similar way but courageously managed to get the dog into the kitchen and secure it."

She added: "Over the years I have dealt with a lot of dog bite cases and usually the worst you are looking at is a bit of bruising, and perhaps puncture wounds.

"To see something like this the dog must have been like a wild animal. If we had been called regarding a lion or a tiger we could have realistically expected something similar.

"The injuries were horrific. The owner was very calm when she rang us - she said the dog had gone mad. It was a very nasty incident."

A vet was called and the animal was put down.

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