Primary school teacher Lisa Hurndall was walking along Marske beach with her son Jamie, her mum and two dogs when the incident occurred in front of shocked onlookers.
Jamie had been playing in a pool of water left by the tide when a white Boxer dog pulled him face down into the water.
Lisa, a 30-year-old single mum from Brotton, raced to save her son from the dog which had hold of his shorts.
The dog retaliated by biting up and down her left leg leaving her with a deep 8cm long wound and muscle damage.
Lisa was taken to the James Cook University Hospital, following the incident at about 3pm on Sunday.
She has already had one operation but has lost the feeling in her foot, is having skin grafts today and will need physiotherapy.
Lisa, who teaches three to five-year-olds at Galley Hill Primary School in Guisborough, is worried the injury may affect her career and is also concerned for her son.
She said: “My mum lives on the Headland in Marske and we were walking my two Rottweilers and my son. My dogs are the softest dogs - we were at the cliff house where the boats are.
“There was a pool of water and I threw the dogs’ ball into it. They didn’t go for it but my son picked it up and shouted for my dog China.
“There were five lads, aged 25 to 30, walking along, wearing Bermuda shorts with their T-shirts tucked in the back so their top halves were naked and there was a white Boxer with long legs - the lads had no control of it, it was bouncing all over the place.
“My little boy was holding the ball shouting my dog’s name when the Boxer jumped up on him. He got frightened and it knocked him face down into in the pool. It started pulling on the back of his shorts.
“I saw red and ran across to the pool shouting at the owner of the dog. I picked up my son and the dog sank its teeth into my left leg, it wouldn’t let go.”
Lisa tried to get the dog off her by putting her hand into it’s mouth but it didn’t work.
“It kept digging it’s teeth in and annihilated my leg - it was scary.
“My mum ran across and tried to poke the dog’s eyes.
“I lay down to give myself more strength.
“You could see inside my leg, the skin was hanging off.”
District nurse Joanne Martin from Guisborough, who was on the beach with her husband and daughters, looked after Jamie, who was hysterical, and they helped pull the dog off Lisa.
Her five daughters helped find towels and blankets for Lisa.
Lisa confronted the dog owner but when she asked for his details he refused to hand them over and walked off in the direction of Bydales School.
Lisa was taken off the beach to an ambulance in a coastguard’s van. She will not be able to return to work for at least six weeks.
“My career is on the line,” she said.
“I’m a foundation stage teacher and I spend all my day running after three to five year olds. I am very active.”
Jamie and the dogs are being looked after by Lisa’s parents Malcolm and Iris.
Lisa wants anyone with any information about the dog to come forward so that it will not attack anyone else in future.
Redcar Police are investigating the incident and would like to talk to the owner of the dog or any witnesses. They are urged to contact PC Stenson on 01642 302 626.
(Gazette Live - June 3, 2009)
