Two dog owners have spoken out about a fight between their pets which left the dogs needing veterinary care and one of the women needing hospital treatment for wounds to her hands.

Eastern Daily Press: Labradoodle Ziggy was injured in the incident in Dereham. Picture: Matthew Usher.Labradoodle Ziggy was injured in the incident in Dereham. Picture: Matthew Usher. (Image: © ARCHANT NORFOLK 2016)

Melanie Jordan, who lives in Crane Close on the edge of Dereham, said she feared her dog Ziggy would die in the terrifying incident with a Staffie-cross on Saturday.

But Jessica Brown, who owns the Staffie-cross Oscar, said both dogs were to blame for the altercation and unreasonable force was used to separate the two.

An investigation is being carried out by Norfolk police, involving the dangerous dog liaison officer.

The drama happened at around 2.15pm when Miss Jordan was walking with her six-year-old daughter Emily and Ziggy, a two-year-old black labradoodle, towards Scarning park.

Eastern Daily Press: Oscar, the Staffie-cross, with Dylan the labradorOscar, the Staffie-cross, with Dylan the labrador (Image: supplied)

'I just turned the corner out of my road and I could see it (Oscar) out of the corner of my eye,' she said. 'It just ran out and attached itself to Ziggy's face. There was blood everywhere and I thought Ziggy's whole face was going to be ripped off.'

She said neighbours heard her screams and came out of their homes to help separate the dogs.

'They got the dog off but then it latched on to Ziggy's leg,' she said. 'I could feel it ripping and I thought it was going to come off. It must have taken 20 minutes to get this dog away.'

Police were called and an ambulance which took Miss Jordan to hospital. She said wounds to her fingers had to be glued and she has to wear a sling to keep her arm upright as one of the dog's teeth went through a main artery. One of the neighbours looked after her daughter and another took Ziggy to the vet where he was treated for bite marks to his face.

'I thought Ziggy was going to die,' she said. 'Everyone who helped are heroes to me and I can't thank them enough.

'Emily was in shock afterwards, she was shaking and was sick and I could not sleep at all Saturday night. I keep thinking what could have happened if the dog had got hold of Emily.'

But Miss Brown said both dogs were equally involved in the fight and Oscar also had bite marks to his face which had to be treated by a vet.

'When dogs meet face to face sometimes they don't get on,' she said. 'Oscar was at the top of the driveway on my mum's property and what actually happened I could not tell, but he has never done anything to another dog before. He gets on with my labrador fine.

'The problem was the dogs' teeth had attached to each other and that is why they could not get free. Oscar is covered in bruises where people were punching him to try and get him off.

'I would not keep a dog that was aggressive or let one be around my disabled mum, but he is a Staffie-cross which immediately goes against him and everyone panics.

'If he was savage the police would have taken him away there and then and destroyed him.

'I do feel sorry for the lady because it is not nice to see dogs like that.'

Miss Brown said she has been advised that a police liaison officer will be visiting Oscar to assess his temperament. She has also improved the fencing around the garden.

A police spokesman said they were investigating and the dangerous dog liaison officer was looking into it.

They confirmed they were called to Waples Way at 2.36pm on Saturday to reports of a dog attacking another dog and a female had also been bitten. No arrests have been made.

Anyone who witnessed the incident is asked to call Norfolk Police on 101 and quote the reference number 36/32827/16.