A LANCASTER mother this week blasted magistrates' decision not to put down the dog which savaged her three-year-old daughter.

The dog, 'Scamp,' lives just three streets away from little Jessica Edmunds who has to visit a child psychologist as a result of the savaging.

Jessica has already had repair surgery and may have to undergo minor plastic in the future. She has been awarded compensation by Lancaster magistrates - reportedly more than £1,000 - from the owner of the dog, Mrs Yvonne Brace of Dunkeld Street.

Jessica's mother, Sophie Edmunds, 21 of Dundee Street, explained why she was so upset at the decision: "It came up that this has happened twice before for a start. I could understand the decision if my little girl had touched it or something but all she said was 'hello' and it bit into her face and neck. They told me she could very easily have lost her eye.

"She's been badly affected by this. We were watching an advert where a Collie dog appeared to be coming out of the television and she screamed and wet herself. You can imagine what she's like when she sees a real dog now and I don't want her not to like animals. Sooner or later we're going to come across this dog and I just want to leave, to get out of this area."

Sophie added that she's been overwhelmed by support from neighbours and is considering starting a petition. Yvonne Brace said she was happy with the decision. She did not wish to say anything to Jessica or her family and would neither confirm nor deny that the dog had attacked people before. She added: "It's been decided and we should all get on with it."

Sophie Edmunds said her friend, Lyndsey Hunt, 20, had been awarded £100 from Yvonne Brace as a result of being bitten, the kennels had £400 costs and her daughter was awarded £1,250.

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