United Kingdom: Four-year-old girl is left scarred for life after being savaged by a stranger's crazed pit bull that mauled her face as she went to get an ice cream with her mother

UNITED KINGDOM -- A four-year-old girl was left scarred for life after a stranger's crazed pit bull mauled her face as she went to get an ice cream with her mother.

Ellie-Mai Dewis, from Nuneaton, was bitten in the cheek by the out-of-control dog moments after she stepped out her front door.

The pit bull, which was unknown to the family, ran up to the toddler and sank its fangs into her face in front of her horrified mother, Stephanie, 22.

The toddler was left screaming in agony and needed 20 dissolvable stitches put in her right cheek following the attack.

Mrs Dewis claimed the stocky, tan coloured dog, believed to be called 'Tig', was with four young men aged around 18, who ran away when they saw Ellie-Mai's injuries.

Ellie-Mai was rushed to University Hospital in Coventry, and has struggled to eat, or drink after the terrifying ordeal, which happened at 7pm on Monday.

Mrs Dewis, a carer, said: 'I feared for her life, I really did. Ellie-Mai had been cleaning her room, and as a reward I promised her an ice cream from the local shop.

'It's seconds from our house, so I had no fears whatsoever about taking her there. We had walked less than a metre out of my front gate when it happened.

'I noticed the dog was off his lead, but thought nothing of it at first. It was with four 17 or 18-year-old boys, so I thought that it would be under control. But from nowhere it just rushed at Ellie-Mai. This dog just ran at her, jumped, bit her face and knocked her to the ground.

'It was all over within a matter of seconds, and I didn't have time to react to it at all, because it was a big, angry dog.'

Mrs Dewis said she carried Ellie-Mai back home 'screaming in pain' as the cowardly men ran off. 

'It's the worst thing that a mother can ever see, your daughter lying flat on the floor lying in a pool of blood,' she said.

'The lads called the dog's name, Tig, and it rushed back over to them. I don't think that they were aware of how badly she had been injured at first.

'The four of them ran off when they saw her covered in blood. I carried her back home, as she screamed in pain.

'I covered her in a towel and called my step-mum, who is a first-aider.

'She came and took one look at her, and said she wasn't happy with it and called the ambulance and the police.

'She had a massive bite-mark in her cheek, and a bruise on her shoulder from where she was knocked onto the pavement.

'She's recovering now, but is having to take antibiotics and painkillers every two hours. She's in more pain now as the strong medication has worn off. At the moment she's having to drink through a straw, and is struggling to eat.

'I tried to take her out to the shop the other day, but she saw a dog there and immediately wanted to go back home. This is something that could scar her for life.

'I really didn't pay much attention to where the dog's owners went, as I was much more concerned with getting Ellie-Mai inside. Any help or information to myself or the police would be much appreciated.'

Warwickshire Police are now hunting the dog and its owners.

PC Ruth Phillips said: 'This was a horrible attack on a young girl that will potentially leave her scarred for life.

'The owners of the dog made no attempt to check she was alright and instead decided to run off.

'We're keen to speak to anyone who witnessed the attack or recognizes the description of the dog.'

Anyone with information can contact police on 101.

(Daily Mail - July 28, 2017)