At least 14 children injured after dog goes ‘berserk’ in park and bites people at random
Horror attack by crazed staffie as kids played in the park
AT least 14 children have been injured after a dog went “berserk” in a park and started mauling children at random.
A resident in the quiet street in Blyth, Northumberland described the scene as a "warzone" and said the community is “traumatised”.
The kids had been playing in a nearby park in Burns Avenue when the crazed beast started to attack.
The tan-coloured Staffordshire bull terrier was only brought under control when one brave dad leapt on the animal and pinned it to the floor while residents called the police.
Another man tied a cardigan around its mouth and they chained it to a fence.
Paramedics rushed nine children to hospital after the dramatic scenes at 6.30pm last night.
Three of the children were taken to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle, while the remaining seven were rushed to the Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital in Cramlington.
Officers are keeping the dog in secure kennels until they can trace its owner.
Sheryl Allison, of Burns Avenue, whose 12 year old daughter Demi Basnett was in the park at the time, told local media: "The dog attacked about 14 kids, it was like a terrorist attack.
"There were injured kids lying all over the place, it was a warzone.
“None of mine got bit thank God.
"When the dog got in kids were trying to save kids, every time they tried to help they were getting bit.
"They were trying to get as high as they could.
“The dog was completely out of control."
Twelve-year-old Demi added: "It was horrible, it went on for ages."
Ms Allison added: "Eventually a dad of one of the girls saw what was happening and sprinted into the park and jumped on the dog, he pinned it down until the police arrived.
"The whole street has been traumatised by this, nothing like this has ever happened before."
Residents claim the staffie was being walked in the park by a girl for 45 minutes before the attack.
It allegedly went crazy when she took off its muzzle.
Dad-of-three Neil Wilkinson was hailed a hero after he helped get at least six children out of harms way by helping them over a fence as two other men wrestled the rampaging bull terrier.
Neil’s own son Kayden, six, was injured when the dog clamped its jaws around his arm.
Neil, 43, said: "I just heard all the screaming and ran to the park.
"All the children were screaming, they were getting chased by this dog who was biting them.
“My first instinct was to get the children to safety, so I started lifting them one by one and put them onto that play castle.
“I think I lifted up about six children and during this time the dog was trying attack me as well.
“It was awful, it was just like a massacre.
“My instinct just kicked in and I did what I could to protect the children. But the next thing, I found out that my own son was bitten in his arm.”
Neil and his partner Deborah, 43, took Kayden to the hospital in Cramlington for treatment.
Their boy, whose arm is still swollen and painful, is now recovering at home.
Deborah said: “What happened was absolutely unbelievable. This Staffie was running riot, biting all the kids.
"It was horrific and my daughter Kimberly, who is seven, and was also at the park was having flashbacks about this all night."
Also injured in the attack were 12-year-old friends Stevie-Brooke Maddison and Nicole Nesbitt.
The girls, who are prize-winning dancers and have won numerous trophies in competitions, suffered puncture wounds to their legs.
However both will be unable to dance until their wounds are healed.
Dawn, 38, the mother of Stevie, said: “I went to the park and saw absolutely chaotic scenes. I did not know what was going on but both girls were hurt.
“Everyone was screaming and they were terrified.
“We took the girls to hospital where they were bandaged up. Both of them were traumatised and petrified.”
Stevie said: “I’m still shaking, I fainted twice after it happened and I’m still in shock.
“I can’t walk on my leg properly now and won’t be able to dance yet. What happened was like a horror movie.”
Jeffrey Nesbitt, 49, Nicole’s dad, said: “It was absolute mayhem and we still can’t believe what has happened.”
Northumbria Police confirmed the dog has been taken to a secure kennel and the owner has not yet been found.
A spokesman added: "At around 6.30pm this evening, police received reports of a dog that had bitten a number of children in the park next to Burns Avenue in Blyth.
"Emergency services attended and police were able to bring the animal under control.
"A number of children were taken to hospital with bite wounds by paramedics but none of the injuries are thought to be serious.
"Police remain in the area to reassure the local community and carry out enquiries to locate the animal’s owner.
"The dog is currently at secure kennels while officers carry out their investigation."