Bichon frise Gemma dies after dog attack in Burslem park

Version 0 of 1.

A woman watched in horror as her pet dog was "grabbed, shaken and set upon" by another dog in park.

Dianne Gibbons said her three-year-old bichon frise, Gemma, was mauled by a "great white" husky-type breed in Burslem, Staffordshire, on Thursday.

The ordeal only stopped when a passer-by intervened, but the extent of Gemma's injuries meant vets were unable to save her.

"I've never seen anything like it. She was just set upon," Ms Gibbons said.

The distressing attack, originally reported in the Stoke Sentinel, happened during a regular meeting for small dog owners.

"Then all of a sudden, a great, white dog appeared out of nowhere and just grabbed her and shook her," Ms Gibbons said.

"There was blood everywhere."

Ms Gibbons said Gemma's stomach was torn open, such was the ferocity of the attack.

Members of the public tried unsuccessfully to keep a woman, believed to be the other dog's owner, in the park, Ms Gibbons said.

"Gemma crawled under a hedge and I called and called her and sat in a flower bed with her head on my knees."

'Light of my life'

Despite vets doing "everything possible they could to save her life," Gemma had to be put down.

"Gemma was the light of my life... my everything, my reason to live... it's just terrible," Ms Gibbons said.

"I hope the owner is prosecuted. It could've been a baby or a child."

Staffordshire Police said it was called to the park at about 10:55 BST on Thursday over reports of a dog attack and inquiries were ongoing.

Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, on Twitter, and sign up for local news updates direct to your phone.